My ideas so far...

For my opening I have decided to do a post-apocalyptic style film. My idea is to have a radio broadcast which will be a voiceover in the opening. This voiceover is how I'm introducing my main character. On screen I'm having setting shots showing a derelict, abandoned objects and buildings to show the setting and hint at the storyline.

Location Scout

 I've been looking at locations which would suit with my plot synopsis, that I could use to introduce the setting in my opening. I want an abandoned, derelict and run down look, which this location seems to fit well. 

 

 

Inspiration for my Opening Sequence

This contains the main components that I want to include in my opening scene, the narration and setting is what I would like to recreate and I really like the mood and atmosphere which we feel due to the combination of the music and narration. The main character is introduced which I also intend to do but not a lot of the storyline or plot is given away.

Group Opening Sequence

For this task we were put into groups and were each given a role, one of  creating a plot, casting and location, filming and directing or editing. The idea was to replicate a real life situation because in the film industry you do one part you don't have complete control over the whole production but have to work with what you are given. I chose to do the editing, which completely proves this situation because I have no control over the quality of the filming and just have to edit what I'm given. We were given 1 hour to come up with the first minute of an opening sequence.

Plot Synopsis

My plot idea is to have a future set film, in a fantasy world where there has been an event which has taken out most of the population. For the beginning I would like to do lots of establishing shots to get a strong sense of setting and then introduce the main character with either narration or a monologue.

Target Audience

A particular group at which a product such as a film or advertisement is aimed, normally separated by age so children and adults.

Comedy - would be aimed at probably teenagers or young adults if its films like American Pie or Step Brothers as they tend to contain adult humour and sexual references. However a film like grown ups are more aimed at family as the filmed is centred round several families.
Horror - Mainly horror films are aimed at teenagers. As above, so below and cabin in the woods use a complete cast of young adults which will definitely appeal to teenagers, also they are a group of friends which can be related to by teenagers who watch horror films with their mates.
Action - This is definitely family orientated films like the golden compass, Indiana Jones contain and variety of ages in their cast and have a lot going on to interest everyone, they are seen as typical movies you would watch as a family.
Drama - This can be a teenager and adult aimed genre, they tend to be more complicated and try to be parallel to life so are more relatable to an older audience. Drama can be based on relationships between characters so hard to understand by children.
Romance - Can be aim at young adults and mainly the female gender.
For my target audience I was thinking of a young audience of teenagers.
I'll attract my target audience by using young actors so they appeal to teenagers and using appropriate music.

Dialogue

Dialogue is whatever the actors are saying in a film. Dialogue is not necessary for the opening two minutes of a film and many successful films don't have dialogue. Dialogue can give away a lot of the plot and mean that good acting skills are required to make it look professional and effective.

Dialogue is useful to explain the story and create a connection between two characters, it can also mean body language and expression becomes more important and noticeable. Dialogue, for example in comedy is essential for humour or in romcom to show the relationship between the two main characters. Dialogue can destroy an atmosphere or mood that has been created, also if acting isn't professional lines won't have the desired effect they are supposed to.

In this scene from wolf of wall street there is little to no dialogue used. It is what makes the scene so funny, unusual and hard to take your eyes off. Because there's no dialogue we have no idea what's going to happen and really can appreciate the skill of the actors.
In the horror/ action film dark knight there's a dramatic tense scene which is created by the lack of dialogue, between the Joker and several other groups of people. Anticipation is built up over what's going to happen and we see that even though the Joker is completely outnumbered he has control in this situation over these people who would normally have the control.
In my own work, without quality acting, dialogue would have less effect and I would like to avoid, I'd prefer to use narration or monologue because then the scripted is controlled and I don't have to worry about the way the two characters are together.

Narration

Narration is a form of commentary that accompanies a movie clip or story.

Dark Comedy - Submarine uses narration at the start of the film, it really sets the mood and creates an atmosphere which is kept through the film. I t also gives us an incite into the main character.

Horror - This can use narration to set a scene in a horror, a detailed description can set a dark, tense scary mood that can be maintained by music.

Action - May use narration during a flashback scene to state times, day and location. The film Avatar uses narration for the beginning of the film, this is to set the mood of the scene which is very serious and essential to the rest of the film.

Romance - narration is normally used to explain a characters thoughts as if they are doing a monologue for example A to Z. Narration can also be used to explain the story to the viewer as done in summerhood a romcom which features a summer camp, narration is used all the way through to enhance the story and the boys feelings so its more funny, but also because it's aimed at a young audience.

I would consider using narration in my opening, as long as you can find the right voice and use it to create the right atmosphere to fit with the genre of my opening, I think narration is very effective.

Character Profile - Lara Croft

Lara Croft is an iconic because she is a strong independent female competing in a male dominated role. We she her as strong, a completely badass and very good looking making her an instance role model for the female sex. This is added to by the fact she defeats the villains and comes out on top. Lara is almost a female version of James Bond, she is just as confident and has the same cool  and strong presence. She is fearless and determined while remaining calm and composed, showing her female dominance surrounded by male characters. They make the narrative and storyline very unpredictable because she's a closed off character. She is unpredictable, mysterious and has high barriers so we don't learn much about her in the opening but eventually they breakdown as the film goes on.

Character Profile - James Bond

James Bond is an iconic character because he represents the high class British male and appeal to women as well as being a role model for men. He is presented almost as a God and made to be perfect he's fit, charming, confident and a womaniser this makes him a role model and an idol for men. He is the hero in the story who always defeats the villain and gets the girl. His excellent physique mixed with his confident charm makes him desirable to women and therefore likable. The villain is always presented in a bad light making James seem better and means most people forget his out of line behaviour. The way Bond is always with an elegant, sophisticated and strong woman can make him seem even more Godly and of high status. They add excitement a humour to the narrative by being able to charm the audience and being confident means his cheeky one liners have more impact. We discover the first layer of James Bond in the beginning, he is always introduced first and shown in the thick of action, doing what we expect. It's not until later on that see the true depth of his character.

Character Profile - Jack Sparrow

I don't think characters are important for the first 2 minutes of a film. Many films characters aren't introduced until later on and the first thing many films will focus on is introducing a setting. However an audience likes to follow a character through the film and the earlier they are introduced the better connection and understanding the audience have. If characters are introduced it is the beginning its very important how they are presented, as the audiences' first impression can effect their opinion of the character for the rest of the film.

Jack Sparrow is such a iconic character because he is able to connect to the audience, the humour, charm and lack of sense in the characters actions make him enjoyable to watch. Jack is very much alone through the films so empathy is created with the audience. He is unusual and mysterious on screen and very likeable as the protagonist of  the films.  His sense of humour in dealing with tricky and dangerous situations makes him a likeable and admirable character but also how he is with other characters he is often betrayed by them and isolated that it creates sympathy. As the main character the audience can build a bond with Jack and understand the depth of his character compared with other characters in the films. He reacts differently to certain characters with the female ones there's a flirty relationship, most characters use Jack for their own personal gain as Jack has his own purpose and aim making the other characters seem like the villains in the story. We learn a lot of about the character from the start and instantly like him as he grabs our interest.

Game of Thrones Season 6: Tease (HBO)

Narrative

The narrative is the way a fictional or non fictional story is told in media texts.

Comedy- This genre tends to follow a simple narrative, its aim is to be funny not complicated. We tend to start with being introduced to several different characters and we see them go through different situations, building up a relationship with these fictional characters. Next something tends to go wrong, for example a dispute between some of the characters before an eventual make up and a happy, united ending to make you feel good.

Horror - A horror narrative can often be based around characters normally a victim, a predator and a hero. The audience is left guessing and not much of the narrative is given away. We normally follow the victim through a stressful and scary experience. there tends to be a few deaths in a horror film and a last battle between the hero and villain.

Action - In an action film we follow the good guy, hero through a constant battle with the villain. They normally get out of a few tricky situations, rescue a damsel in distress. The narrative in action can sometimes be predictable. Normally late on we see the hero get captured by the villain for which he somehow escapes and kills the villain. The audience form a attachment to the hero but not villain as they are always presented in a bad light.

Drama - In drama there is more of an attempt to create emotion and relatable characters. Characters are more complicated and developed than stereotypes. They tend to fail and make mistakes and presents life as it really is.  The narrative is driven by the types of characters and their reactions to the situations.

Romance - In romance it's important that a connection between the viewer and characters builds throughout the film to cause the audience emotion. The narrative is however just as important because it's causes these characters to meet and interact, it can really shape the story. The narrative can often be given away in the beginning of the story, by the presentation of the characters.

Character Task

For this task we had to create a character in depth, by thinking more about their story, background and behaviour.

 

 



Name: Roy Marshal

Age: 36

Nationality: American

Profession: Engineer, ex-pilot

Marital Status: Widow

 

Roy is a quite held back person, who prefers to listen rather than voice his opinion. He's not hot headed and doesn't get angry but, even though he's quite everyone listens when he talks and he takes control of the situation even if it's not his intention. He is a born leader with peoples' respect though he doesn't normally take charge. Roy didn't come from a rich background but is still well educated, with good grammar and vocabulary. They rarely swear and have a low pitched voice.

 

As a person they are very knowledgeable and experienced, their life has been a course of challenges  which they have overcome. They have had to deal with the passing of their wife which has left them unhappy and pessimistic. They have become quiet and feeling to toll of day to day living without their other half. Roy is beginning to lose his will to live and his grief is starting to consume him, his outlook on life changes. He shuts himself off from the world and is now untrusting of others though in the past he was selfless, generous and sensitive to others.

 

The character is very traditional and is not interested in the modern era. He listens to old records and read a newspaper. He is pleased by the simple things in life and is not obsessed with technology or social media. They played American football in school and loosely follow the sport. He was brought up as a Christian and has a strong tie to his religion. 

 

Their past is very complicated they finished school and went straight into the RAF to train as a pilot and learn skills as an engineer. After spending about 10 years serving his country Roy left the RAF. He sets up a garage and meets his wife, a childhood friend, in next 8 years he marries and buys a house before his wife dies in a car crash.

The house becomes his main hobby as he renovates it into their dream house, its old, large and in the country. He lives there alone apart from his German Shepard who is his only companion and best friend.



Analysing Soundtrack

Horror
Music is used to build up tension, it normally starts of rather quiet with long pauses between the sounds. The use of staccato helps create an atmosphere which can escalate and increase in suspension as the mu gets louder, quicker and more dramatic. Some soundtrack use a piano to create an eerie feel to the listener. They are distinct, cold sounds which fit with the generic features of horror, its important the music creates suspense so the watcher anticipates something scary is to come.

Western
All western soundtracks have a similar sound to classify that genre. There's typical a use of traditional instruments like cowbells or a acoustic guitar. They traditional have lyrics and are rather upbeat linking to the action in the genre.

Sci-Fi
All the soundtracks were bold, dramatic and loud. They use a orchestra to make the music seem to surround us a create a new world, which is important for sci-fi is set normally on a different planet. The music is very large scale to empathise the importance of the setting.

Romcom
This genre has typically used popular songs that are upbeat and have lyrics. To create a happy mood and make the watchers feel good. The use of famous, known songs is important as it makes it relatable and they are normally pop songs because everyone knows the words.

Film Language - Genre

I filled in this grid to help understanding of what makes up different genres and start thinking about what genre I would like my opening to be and therefore what I should include.

Opening Sequence Planning - Content

Diamond 9

What I think is important to include:
I chose to put creativity as most important because the openings that interest me most in films have to be different and that is what makes people watch on. Introducing characters and setting is always fundamental to openings but doing this in an unusual way is what makes an opening stand out to others. I put ensure you audience gets it at the bottom because if you explained the whole story in the opening 2 minutes nobody would watch till the end. There has to be some confusion to intrigue a viewer into watching on.




What the exam board thinks is important to include:
I thought use a variety of camera angles would be more important to the examiner because it shows a level of skill and thought to filming. I moved ensure your audience gets it higher as well because that can demonstrate a well thought and planned plot and showing where the storyline is going. Demonstrating creativity was a lot lower as this would be less important as long as you shown certain skills. Use dialogue is at the bottom because there doesn't have to be any for the opening to be good  and at a non-professional level dialogue can lower the quality of the end result.

The Finest Hours Trailer

Walt Disney Pictures has released a new  trailer for director Craig Gillespie’s upcoming disaster drama The Finest Hours, which is based on the book of the same name by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias and the true story of the 1952 Pendleton rescue mission.

Submarine - Final Cut and Evaluation

 

 

The Submarine opening was a lot more difficult to recreate than I first thought as smaller details were really the parts that made most difference and made the clip better. Obviously certain restrictions meant it was harder to add this extra level of detail and therefore restricting the end project. These things being funding, time, choice of actors and location. Which if we would have had more time ways could have been found around problems. To improve I would have liked to spend more time designing the settings especially in the bedroom as key items were missed. I think what was in our control was done well for example the editing we had a large range of sounds to choose from so were able to find the rights one to fit with the original. Overall I feel the project went well and will definitely help when doing our own opening.

Breaking the Fourth Wall

Breaking the fourth wall is when an actor directly talks to the audience or camera, this can be used to encourage audience participation. Also its used in Submarine in the opening sequence.

Black Ops III Seize Glory

Submarine - Cast

                                         
We had a hard time finding someone who looked similar to the character Oliver; so we went for someone who was available, willing and could pass for a distant cousin. Unfortunately Richard who had arranged the actor couldn't make it to the filming  so I was left to find someone who was on site, luckily one of the chefs from the pub beneath the apartment was willing and not to dissimilar from Oliver though a little older. This however limited my filming time to about 5 minutes so I didn't have as much time as I would have liked to get a really good shot.

Submarine - Filming and editing

                     
                                                                         Filming

In the bedroom I did a slow panning shot from one side of the room to the other, using a tripod to keep the shot steady and level. In the original I first thought the shot zooms in at the window, trying this proved hard to move the camera and zoom smoothly. however watching it again the camera actually moves and lowers to change the angle. For the close up shot I did a low angle shot looking up and then a more level shot. I would have liked to spent more time filming to try other camera angles but the wasn't possible.
Filming the outside locations was easier because it was just a still shot and living in the countryside meant I had access to many good locations. however timing was hard because sometimes cloud meant the sun disappeared earlier than you were expecting. Also the in the original the sun is captured just before it completely goes meaning it was all about timing.


                                                                        Editing

Adding the tittles in between the footage was   
really easy on premiere pro, unfortunately we didn't have a production company name so we couldn't add that in. For the footage between tittles I use two different shots and cropped them so they appeared to be one take. For the long shot of the window it was hard to get the exposure right and I had to spend longer editing the colour because at the window there was more light than at the start of the shot. The shots were actually a lot darker than I initially thought so I had to increase the exposure but  I couldn't change it too much because the shots needed to be consistent. I also used a warp tool so when the camera is panning it has a smooth motion.   The main part of editing was the sound, not just adding the soundtrack but also ambient noises like the seagulls, the ticking and general background noise which I all added.

Submarine - Setting and Location

                               

The opening clip from Submarine is set in a boys bedroom around the late 90s. For our location I knew an empty apartment which could have a suitable room for us to use to recreate the bedroom. We decided it would be better to use an empty room rather than one of our own rooms because then we have complete control over what went in the setting and we could add specific props. the one problem was there was no furniture we could use so the setting was abit bare compared to what we wanted. When designing the setting we really tried to keep it in the correct time period by adding older posters. Certain items we added was the lamp and the wooden ship which was the closed thing we had to a submarine. To make it seem more like a bedroom we added books and clothes. If I could have I would have spent longer on the setting as we missed out certain props like the telescope and skeleton.


 For the outside footage, I live in the countryside so it was easy to find places where the sun was setting but the sun was normally hidden behind trees and the settings are all very similar. In the original clip there is one of a town so I decided to try and film around Norwich to get a clip.

SlumDog Millionaire - Analysis of Sound

In this clip the sound of the water connects all the first scenes of the boys and the mob, the noise makes us feel as if we are seeing it from the boys point of view because the sound is muffled and not clear, telling us this is his memory. Another reason is the sound creates the feeling of being frozen, as the boys are while watching the mob attack, this is also added to by the slow motion editing. The point where the mother is knocked out brings us out of slow motion because the sound is so harsh and distinct compared to the others which have been muffled. This is the point where the setting changes the pace is then speeded up, a fast tempo is introduced and the scene becomes chaotic. Certain sounds are exaggerated on top of other ambient sounds to show the details he remembers for example the bottle smashing and the man on fire. Linking all these shots is the background sound and the drum we here. This stops when we see God Rama, the background chaos noise disappears and we hear sound of the game show studio, this scene is different to show its importance which we realise later. This is also shown because these shots are longer than the others which have been short and close up.

Stars Wars - The Force Awakens Trailer

This Trailer speaks for itself

Scouts guide to the Zombie Apocalypse

This film seems to have the right balance gore, horror and comedy mixed with a bit of teenage insecurity.

Sound - Ratcatcher opening sequence

 

At the start of Ratcatcher we see an abstract image which is hard to understand and distorted. The sound is a main influence on this effect. We hear a distant noise of what could be children on a playground but because it's in the background a faint it doesn't seem important to the boy or is outside the room. We also hear a diagetic sound which could be in his head. This makes us question whether we are hearing sound as him or as an outsider watching him. There's a real abrupt change when it moves on to the next shot, there is a harsh short sound of the slap which brings us out of a sort of trance and into reality. This is a clear foreground and ambient sound contrasting to the previous distorted sound and has been exaggerated. Sound is used to tell  us whether we are watching something from a distance as in Ratcatcher we see the boys playing from a window and the outside sound is muffled and faint and we hear noises from inside the room. This contrast to when we see a close up because the sound is clear and louder. Certain sounds can be exaggerated to empathise the importance of what's happening for example in Ratcatcher when the boy pulls out his trousers as an act of defiance against the mother and the splashing in the water which hints at the boys deaths. 

Anaylsis of Sound - Hunger

 



Diagetic sound - Is sound that is in the story for example dialogue and ambient sound.
Non-diagetic - Is put in during editing for example the soundtrack or a voiceover

 

 

In the clip from hunger we experience the last hours of Bobby Sands life in prison. Throughout the clip we hear little dialogue meaning their are several long scenes in silence, these are only interrupted by sounds within the story, diagetic, which have been artificially exaggerated becoming more noticeable and symbolic. For instance the sound of the doors and keys is very distinct reminding us he's in a prison which also seems very ironic because he can't escape and has imprisoned himself in his body. Also they can symbolise him going through stages towards death. The harsh, metallic sound combined with the close angle shots creates the mood of enclosure and him being caged.
The flashback is the only part which has non-diagetic sound and is used to connect the scenes of past and present as well as his breathing. The non-diagetic sound is very intense and reminds us this is in his mind. The fact it focuses on him running suggests he feels free and this is also hinted at by the birds we hear throughout the scene outside the window and in the woods. This also symbolises that death is his freedom, this is also shown by the camera shots as he is carried away from the camera when he's dead, leaving the prison and towards the camera when he's alive. His breathing through the clip is often heighten and exaggerated, but when we hear his last breath it's faint and long representing him letting go of life because it's deliberately different it is more noticeable.

 



Opening scene Anaylsis - City of God

This opening is completely different to Jackie Brown, it starts of straight away with short shots no more than a second per frame and upbeat music. This means we pick up little bits of information from each shot which make up the setting, these shots are at different angles some high on someone's feet and others low angled up at somebodies face. These are all close up shots which mean we can focus on what is going on and means we aren't overloaded with information. The slightly longer shots are of the chicken which is an important to starting the story and there's a subtle pause. All these shots create a busy atmosphere and so us the culture of the scene. We are given a lot more information than the long shots in Jackie Brown. As the pace quickens we see medium shots as the chase begins. The use of several different angles speeds up the opening as they are contrasting. Next the pace is stopped to introduce two main characters in the film and there is a still, long shot to show they are important. After some more quick pace shots, it stops for wider shots which creates tension, especially when we see the panning shot showing the setting around the boy.

Opening scene anaylsis - Jackie Brown

This is opening is made up of several long shots which focus on one character as she makes her way across the airport. We start by seeing a side profile and the opening credits appearing, we focus on these because the shot is very still and we only know its moving because the background wall changes. This shot is medium close up so we don't see any of the setting around giving us little information. Next shot is a close up of luggage deliberately moving the other way to the previous shot. The next few shots are shorter than the first and give us more detail about the setting telling us she's in an airport. Next we go back to long shots but at a low angle on the side and then front really focusing us on the character so we know she is important, this also shows us a lot more of the setting but just what you typically expect of a airport. Then back to a similar shot to the first but a close up reducing information of the setting again. As the character starts running the speed picks up but we still see a long side profile shot. Personally I find this a lot less interesting than an opening with many different camera angles but  the lack of information and plot can stimulate interest and curiosity into what's going to happen.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

 

After the success of the 2013 Tomb Raider this reboot has got a lot of expectations but it seems to  already be on a whole other level. Producers have listened to comments from players and definitely worked hard to make this game reach it's potential. Pre-order now.

Everest - Film Review

Saw this at the cinema last week, I was actually quite moved by what the characters experienced. This made me even more shocked when I found out it was a true story and even more inspired. However this film does have one downside, I wont be climbing Everest any time soon.

The Forest - trailer 2016

 

Horror isn't my top genre, but this trailer has my full interest and only partly because Natalie Dormer is a class actress. I definitely don't want to miss this.

Jungle Book - The Movie

This movie is basically my childhood dream, I'm already predicting this will be the number 1 film of 2016. I'm praying this lives up to expectation. 

Camera shots and angles

 

Establishing - Normally shows the outside of the building before cutting to a scene inside so the viewer knows where the actors are. This is more common on tv shows and soaps which use the same locations.

Wide - This gives you lots of information and normally is used to show setting because it doesn't focus on anything in particular. It gives the viewer and idea of where the scene is similar to an establishing shot.

Close up - Focuses on someone's face and is used to introduce characters as we note their appearance and remember their face.

High and Low angle - These are used to show the dominance of a character over another as a high angle can make a character seem shorter and low angle taller. This can also be used to hide height difference between actors for example Tom Cruise is actually quite short but we don't notice it in films.

Extreme close up - Is often used in horror movies or to show emotion on someone's face like focusing on a tear.

Two shot - Is useful to capture setting as well as the relationship between two characters as we see the whole of their body and stuff going on in the background.

Worm's eye view - Is an extreme low angle which also shows the dominance of character and taller and they fill the shot.

Bird's eye view - Makes the people look very small and shows the view from a helicopter above.

Shot/ reverse shot - An effective way to shoot a conversation because it captures what the actors are saying clear and their whole face.

Point of View - captures what a person sees which is useful when people are watching things happening like in horror films and makes the viewer feel involved.

 

Costume

We were given two dolls one male, one female and a set of clothes to design two characters for a particular genre. I picked out the drama, this is quite a wide genre so I had a lot of choice. I went with ordinary clothing which didn't stand out but explained the characters situation.  I chose to dress my female in a flower patterned dressed and sunglasses and the man in a shirt with palm trees on; I also added a suitcase as a prop and put wedding rings on their fingers. My idea was that they had just got married and were now going on their honeymoon to Hawaii where something would happen.

The Blood Ring - AS media opening sequence analysis

This opening takes a different approach to others because it explains the whole story and introduces all the main characters in the first 30 seconds however the way its done intrigues us as a viewer rather than ruining the story. Using a voice over rather than having him speaking definitely improves it and shows they have spent time on the script as well as how the actor speaks. The blurry zoom on the ring made it seem less valuable contradicting what he's saying. Through the next few shots I would have made them a lot shorter as sections are unnecessary also I would change the music as it runs for a long time and became annoying towards the end. This opening is quite simple but was still effective.

Lockout - Opening sequence anaylsis

This opening is mainly different to others we start with clos up long shots of the main character. The still shots means we focus on what he is saying and get to know Snow's funny personality. The punch sounds are exaggerated and break up the speech but also create a sort of rhythm as there's no music. Next we are introduced to another character as the shot cuts to a close up of his face, this shot shows the characters power over the other. Next we quickly see a wide shot of the interrogation room before the flash back starts. The flash back changes the tempo of the opening as dramatic, fast music starts and we see lots of short shots from different angles, the sound effects as well are loud and increase the tension in the fight. The camera moves around a lot making it seem frantic. Then the sound completely stops when the guy is shot, killing the pace, almost like it freezes.

End point - AS media opening sequence analysis

The beginning is in black and white and shows quick moving shots making it seem very dramatic, we see only short shots creating suspense and mystery about what's going to happen, the music also adds to this as its upbeat. We are also straight away introduced to one of the main characters and then another one, we know this because they are talking and shown with close up shots of their face. The characters are complete opposites one in a suit the other in jeans and a hoody.  At the beginning of the chase we see a clear match on action shot, but after that the moving shots are too blurry to make out. We see a comedy side to the film when he's in the lift, but it doesn't suit the character because he's got a gun. The slow motion starts a bit early but on the bullet it looks really good and is effective. I would have cast an older person for the hired killer and also the ending seems to final for an opening.

The Cobra Effect - AS media opening sequence analysis

This opening is fast paced, full of well following short shots and accompanied by an upbeat soundtrack to show the audience that this is a action film with lots going on. The fact the box links all the shots together suggests its very important to the rest of the story. We are also introduced to the main characters of the story. The opening starts with three slow, long  and close up shots first showing us the box which seems just an ordinary object, then as the camera moves up to introduce the first character this character looks at the camera breaking the fourth wall and then the speed completely changes. When it stops on the characters faces it tells the viewer they are important and helps us remember them as the film is frozen this is also helped by the fact they are so close to the camera so we are never shown much of the background and that they directly look at the camera. The voiceover towards the end is very poor quality and the composition of the characters doesn't look right.

Toy Story - opening sequence anaylsis

Toy story uses the opening sequence to introduce us to the main characters of the film, it also suggests the tone of the film as its funny and also childish. We learn alot about Andy, even though we barely see him and that woody is his favourite toy. The scene consists of short shots, lots of noise and action to reflect the lighthearted mood of the film. We know the rest of the film will involve Andy and his toys, especially woody. The scene is colourful and creative showing Andy spends a lot of time with his toys and they are important to the story.The use of added sound effects like the sheep and Andy's different voices make the toys seem more realistic hinting at the fact they come alive. The camera cuts quickly through different shots and angles creating a fast pace and a sense of action. The chosen camera angles make the toys appear life size also leading towards the fact they're alive. 

Submarine - opening sequence

The opening of Submarine starts with a slow moving panning shot of the main characters bedroom. We get a little incite into his life, the room appears very cluttered maybe a metaphor for his mind. We also here the diagetic sound of seagulls which tells us we are need the sea. The camera doesn't focus on any objects in particular but we see a typewriter which suggests the time period of early 1990s, just before computers. Next the camera moves downwards from the ceiling and a seagull towards the floor and a window where we see a teenager boy looking out; this is like the camera moving from the sky to under the sea. There's also a skeleton and telescope to show an interest in science. During these shots we hear a voice over from the boy, this stops the atmosphere being broken by him talking in front the camera and is a lot easier. On the wall under the window there's a painting of a submarine below the water and he is also under the line, maybe meaning he is a submarine in society. Next the camera does a jump shot to a close up of his face to put the focus on him. The boy looks right into the lens which is breaking the fourth wall this creates a personal connection between the character and the viewer and he almost asks the question are you with me.
The camera then cuts to a completely different shot of a landscape of his town and then a few other landscapes of around his town and the beach. These all are quite beautiful but have been distorted and covered by the black as the light disappears. Maybe this could be the way he sees it or the affect he has on what's around him. Towards the end he is shown as a black silhouette against the surroundings which also suggests he is causing the darkness. The camera does another jump shot to the back of his head also pulling the focus in on him. The fact we never see anyone else shows us we are being introduced to the main character but also he is isolated, like being under water.

The Duff - anaylsis of costume

The Duff's main character, Bianca is deliberately dressed in baggy, dull and unflattering clothes compared with her friends who where more colourful and noticeable clothes. Throughout most of the film she wears denim and a checked shirt.  Bianca's clothes barely change and appear very similar. This is to reflect the storyline and that her friends are suppose to be pretty and more attractive then her and she is the duff. Her clothes also reflect the idea that she doesn't care about what other people think of her appearance and she just wears what is comfortable. The main male character is always shown in tight shirts to empathise his muscles and jeans, this fits with his captain of the football team and hottest guy in school look. The classic pretty, popular and slutty girl is always wearing mini skirts and tight tops to reference her status of a bully and her self righteous attitude.

Love Actually - Pre production

We were given a piece of script and 2 weeks to film and edit this scene. We needed a cast, location, costume and a storyboard. A date to film and enough time to edit our footage. As a group we decided to all help out instead of allocating roles. We brainstormed locations and people for a our cast and then set out jobs to do before next lesson. After this we discussed a date of when we were all available for filming.

Location - In the movie the scene is set at 10 downing street, as we don't have access to that we chose a manor, grand house which would be believable as the prime minsters house. I looked up similar locations and found several hall/hotels which suited what we wanted, I phoned up Caistor hall to see if they would be happy for us to film on their location, however they never replied. So we also tried Park Farm they also didn't get back with in our deadline. So we ended up asking friends who had a suitable house whether we could use their house, one of them agreed so we had a location.

Cast - As a group we found cast rather hard because it was hard to set a date without knowing the location and time and people had to be available on short notice. So we decided to properly cast the PM and Natalie as these people needed to have more acting experience. For the rest of the cast we decided see who was available at the time because they only had a few lines therefore didn't need great acting skills. Ed was our PM because his personality fitted with the character in the script, and Libby as our Natalie because she is a good actor and she also fitted quite well as innocent, nervous Natalie. Me and Kate had to fill in the other parts as Annie and Pat because people were not available
and dropped out at the last minute.

For costume, I ask Ed to wear a smart black suit, to appear like a prime minister. Libby, me and Kate all wore smart looking clothes, white blouses. We didn't need to worry about bottom half because it was never on camera.

Love Actually - Production

We decided to start with the PM coming out of a car to show he just arrived at his house. We did a low shot of the car door opening and his feet stepping out the car, and then we continued it with a moving shot of Ed doing up his jacket and adjusting his tie. Next shot was at the door and match on action of Ed walking up to the door waving and from the other side of the door him coming through. We plan to edit in crowd sound effect afterwards, we found a mixture of different sound effects online to download and blended them together to make it more realistic. As he entered we faded out the sound effects but only cut them off when the door closed.

Throughout the whole thing we added a de-noisier and changed the brightness especially inside which was rather dark we also had another person holding a light on set to make the scene brighter. We did two shot/reverse shot for the two conversations between pat and the PM and Natalie and the PM, this meant we could clearly hear their lines and got a close up of their faces to capture their facial expressions. We only had a small section of corridor to film in so we did separate shots using the same section of wall. We did a few takes because of things like looking at the camera and had to skip Terence because we didn't have enough actors, as well as the end because the camera ran out of charge but you cant really notice and it doesn't look like its been cut off before the end. We had planned to do these bits in front of the green screen but we didn't have a lot of time. We played around we lighting in editing and volume level. I would have preferred a plainer location because stuff in the background could be distracting.

 

The 76th hunger games premieres 20th November 

Game of Thrones - The Ruins of Valyria

 

The setting starts very dull with same colours and appears very uninteresting. The landscape is very flat and plain but also open and distanced suggesting the boat is alone. This setting deliberately focuses all the attention on the boat, to help this the boat has the only colour in the setting with the red sail. Though there are thick clouds we don't feel there presence because they are high and a light grey to show the vast amount of space in the setting. The boat appears to be large compare with what's around. The inside of the boat is also rather clustered with fishing nets and equipment contrasting from the setting shown outside.

The setting drastically changes as they enter old Valyria, the tall black, solid buildings over shadow the small, flimsy, insignificant boat. The building remains are shown on each side looking down on them. This starts to build an atmosphere of entrapment and anticipation as tension rises. The clouds change becoming black and creating a looming presence over the boat, while showing the light clouds behind them. As the dark consumes them we see a dragon this could be a warning as it flies towards the light or to symbolises the next setting change.

As they sail under the bridge the black water and two walls along with people dropping down from above we feel a sense of claustrophobia on the boat showing the fear reflected by the characters. All light is lost when Tyrion goes into the water and all space is gone from the original setting.

Analysing Settings

The Duchess

The Duchess clip uses 4 different settings to show a change in mood and atmosphere. Before the first setting the camera travels under an archway this is a metaphor for us looking into her life so we see the following settings as she does and we experience her mood and feelings. The first setting is a crowded, busy street crammed with people and noise. We see people trading goods and running along with the carriage showing the life outside the carriage which she is separated from and we get a mood of longing from her. This is a long shot to create a real high contrast between outside and inside the carriage. The wide angle shot and busy streets highly contrast to the small and quite interior of the carriage.
The setting changes to a wide and spacious view of a courtyard. it is very empty and silent compared with on the streets and suggests her separation with the rest of the world and the walls of the courtyard acting as a cage or prison trapping her to her new husband. The archway at the beginning and end of this setting symbolise a new atmosphere. In the courtyard her mood changes to ore while still being intimidated by her surroundings.
Inside the hallway her feelings change to more of unknowing and uncertainty as well as feeling overwhelmed, there's also a sense of realisation shown by the grand, tall large setting which makes her look small and insignificant.
The bedroom is completely unrelated to the other settings because it is small and dark. The mood is completely changed to feel claustrophobic and slightly sinister creating the start of tension building up, adding to this is that the main colours in the setting is black and red which tends to mean danger. The contrast between the small, dark, intimate room and the grand, white courtyard shows how the director has used the settings to reflect different sides of their relationship.

The Last King of Scotland

The mission station appears as any normal building made of wood, only one story and is a pale brown colour. the room we first see is completely black apart from the window which is a square of light, this show that change is about to happen when he turns towards the light. This setting appears very basic and rural. Through the car journey we start by seeing vibrant green mountains and a very rural setting, then it progresses into a village with basic huts still very natural. Then the setting completely changes to a city with tall, white buildings lots of noise and people. This totally contrasts with the mission station in several ways, for example the colour goes from natural browns and greens to article white and very sterile and man made. The buildings become grand, tall and the foreground of the setting, where at the mission station they blended into the background.


Spectre trailer

 Seems Spectre includes everything you would expect from a James Bond movie. Good thing it never gets old, in cinemas October 26th. 

THE MARTIAN - Official Final Trailer (2015)

 

This film is definitely a must see right now, hope it lives up to expectations.

Ouija

 

 

Ouija

 

Really loved the storyline for this film and the unpredictable plot twist which was a complete shock, it had all you expect from a horror but I wanted something more and a bit more of a thrill, hope they develop a follow on which is more scary.

Mission impossible

Mission impossible - Rogue Nation
Personally thought it was a good film, had the right balance of action with storyline. Action films are a lot more interesting with a complicated plot but it has to be able follow. Of course there was an explosion filled motorbike chase which tom cruise executes to perfection. one thing I missed was a sex scene but you cant have everything. well worth a watch.

Settings - Mise en scene

         Settings give us three main incites into what we are watching. First the mood and atmosphere, for example a setting which has little lighting or colour can create a mysterious, scary and cold feeling to the viewer this is important to create tension and fear in horror movies. The setting is also important for us to tell the time period of the media text, for instance if the setting was  modern we are likely to see modern technology and cars compared with an old fashioned setting which would probably see a piano and a horse drawn cart. The final thing a setting can show us is the genre of the text, an example if the setting is abstract or set in outer space the genre is most probably science fiction.


Any furniture is old and mostly broken

The setting of a poor a destitute couple in the 17thC is likely to have a lack of furniture and they're probably living in one room. I imagine there's insufficient light which would reflect there mood of hopeless and desperate, I doubt there would be many if any personal items, showing their low status.

For a middle class couple in 1940s I would have a fire place and lots of candles in the setting, a bookcase containing well read books also some photos of family and friends to create a sense of life and pleasant atmosphere.



Money and passport to show the
 setting is temporary

A spy is likely to have a plain and simple setting with a distinct lack of personal items like photos for a setting to create a atmosphere of mystery around the character. there might be several passports and money lying around or in a safe and, of course a hidden room full of weapons these show the modern time period of the text.

A businessman or women is likely to have a untidy setting with a noticeably large desk covered with paper work and expensive desktop or laptop a lot of empty wine glasses and takeout packs lying around this sets a mood of importance about the character. There's probably business clothes like suit jackets and a posh leather briefcase.

Students are likely to have more character to their setting than say a spy, I would imagine lots of study books and sports equipment, posters on the walls, the setting is very messy with empty beer bottles and pizza boxes. These suggest a modern time period and an intrigued mood into the students busy life.
Comedy- The setting is likely to be more colourful and cluttered with more going on than others.
Horror - Dark setting will little objects or colour, its likely to be small and seem almost claustrophobic.