Creating an animatic storyboard

Creating an animatic storyboard was very useful as doing this casued indepth discussions on the transistions which should be used when filming the real thing. We then spoke about the angles and camera movements which we would plan on using. The main benefit of doing a storyboard was that it set out the structure of the film and which shots were vital to use in order for the film to flow.

Research

Once we had come up with a film consept as a group we decided to research famous kidnappings of young girls. The main case we came across was of a girl called Joyce Lee Dogard. She was a young American girl who was taken from her home and kept by a man for main years. As a group we watched an interview in which Joyce spoke of the time away from her family. She spoke of her emotions, treatment, the area in which she was kept and what conditions she lived in. All this was key information which we considered when creating a realistic film of a kiddnapping.

The film Home Alone has the genre of adventure and comedy. The opening scene first begins with 20th Century Fox as this is the film studios which were used to produce Home Alone. 20th Century fox is known for being associated with comedy and family orientated films.
Next a black background appears, and this is when the Production Company and main actor’s names are shown. The font is in bold white and clearly written in the bottom centre of the screen. Your attention is draw to this as it is all you can see on the screen at that time. Once the first main actors name is given a moon comes into view and a zoom in shot is used to make the moon more visible in the top right corner. Our attention is now drawn to the moon which slightly deceives the viewer as there is a dark background with the moon which looks uninviting and gloomy. Just from the images you would begin to think the film would be much darker and danger would be involved. However as the music has been playing from the very beginning we known the film will be light hearted and fun as the music makes us feel happy and festive and unconcerned. An image of a blue 2d house moves across the screen with the moon still visible, when the house is central the film title also appears in blue. After the title is shown the words Home Alone disappear just leaving the house. Then a zoom out shot is used giving an impression the house fades into the night. Titles are still coming up at the bottom in white bold font of casting, music is by and associate producer.
The image of the 2d house cuts to the first shot of a decorated house, the house is key to the film as it sets the scene by showing where the film is based and also the time of year. Festive music continues while the camera zooms in till it reaches the house then the dialogue of people takes over once inside. The scene which takes place inside the house is of a number of children and adults, who are packing for a holiday.
This is easy for families to relate as the house is frantic as and it also appears they are running late so everyone is charging around trying to get ready. Home Alone is a family based film and from the opening it will already have drawn people in as it is festive, light hearted, funny and also many parents may be able to relate even to this opening scene.

Ideas from film openings, which we will make manageable

Kiss the Girl

To make the film kiss the girl manageable for our group to recreate, we would change aspects such as the killer hiding in the cellar rather than the loft. The killer could come out at night and creep up the stairs and spy on the girls in the house. The man would drug the girls by dissolving a tablet into their drink next to them. She drinks and when drugged the woman wants the man.

The Butterfly Effect

This film we would need to make more manageable is the butter fly effect. This could be done by the scene being set in a school office where it is dark and looks empty. The other parts of this opening scene are already realistic and easy enough for us to manage, as it is set in a sunny day with a mother and son, the mother could be doing the gardening, or fixing something and the sun would be talking to her. 

Fiction Films

Genres:

Action adventure

Animation

Rom com

Horror

Thriller

Western

Science ficton

Cime

Musical 

Examples:

The conventions of a horror film are to Frighten and panic the audience causing alarm and have terrifying shock finales. Another convention of a horror film is the music as there would be a lot of non-diegetic music which has a very deep bass to it but also the music gets faster and faster so the audience knows it is building up to something frightening. Also there would be dark and shadowy lighting which would run throughout the film to add more suspense.

The conventions of a romantic comedy are the encounter of a potential couple in a strange or odd situation or circumstance. The couple are often very different in temper and how they live life, this gives the comedy to the film. This centres the film around the idea of two people finding true love.                                                                             
The music is light hearted and upbeat keeping to the theme or romance and comedy. Funny events happen which evolve the two main characters and the film beings with a voice over or some explanation of the main characters.

The conventions of an action film are a damsel in distress, who is saved by the hero and a villain who may be represented as a people or natural disaster.  Also there is a situation where the hero tries to defeat the villain he does not succeed so another event happens and the second time the hero defeats or overcomes the villain. Other conventions would be a battle and fight which is a typical in the plot and in this weapons and gadgets would be used. Explosions and destruction is another main convention of this genre as it makes the audience worry.

Preliminary task

                      

When making the preliminary video as a group we needed to include three different types of shots. These shots included the 180 degree rule, continuity, and shot reverse shot. Making what we all thought would be an easy filming task certainly wasn’t without its problems and mistakes.

When we originally started filming the video it was going to be based on a school parents evening, however this did not work out as we need to use a school office and there was a lot of background noise from things going on around use. Also another issue which arose was the continuity in lighting and clothing, as we did not have time to film all in one go. Filming was done over a period of two days. The lighting and clothing did not show continuity as the clothing of actors where different and as one day of the two it was raining which made the lighting through one of the windows very different.

We all agreed to scrapping this idea and taking the filming outside and to film in one go. The second video had two actors and let us all be more creative with ideas and camera angles and positioning. The 180 degree rule was followed throughout as we made sure we did not cross over to the other side at any point in our final preliminary filming. This was the easier of the shots that had to be included. With the filming outside in the wooded area continuity was not an issue with it came to the setting as we filmed on the same day in an area which would not change in the time we were filming there. The continuity which was different in the beginning was making sure feet positioning and body positioning was exactly the same. This was trickier as it was a windy day and the main actor’s hair was blowing around, so from each shot we needed to make sure it was the same. This is something which has been made aware to us all for when it comes to filming the Film Opening. The shot reverse shot was hard to film as we were in a little space by some trees and when looking at the filming a shadow of me was in the opposite camera. This was easily correctable and will be remembered when it comes to filming our opening.

Doing a preliminary task was very useful as it highlighted just what things needed bearing in mind when filming. Also making the mistakes we did will hopefully help to resolve these issues in the real task if they arise. Music will need to be added to the real film opening as our preliminary was based on a thriller but without the music it lost a lot of effect.