Screening

We decided to screen our sequence during a school lunchtime as this would be best for everyone.

We chose to invite years 11 and above, as they include 15 year olds+ and this is our target audience.

To make sure we had as many people as possible, we thought it would be a good idea to create a facebook group as this would advertise on a platform that the target audience would definitly use:

Furthermore, we made notices that would go in class registers so that any people we did not reach were aware of the screening.

Also, we designed a questionnaire with questions that would be important and helpful to use. We chose to use multiple choice answers so that they would be easy to fill out and data would be gathered more easily.

 

Titles

We have chosen to use a font from http://www.dafont.com/ named 'An Unfortunate Event,' as it looks simple but has a slight twist. It's easy to read and uneven, symbolising the disrupted equilibrium in the sequence itself.
Using LiveType application on Mac, we have been able to create effects add atmosphere, as it seems to crawl in, like the stranger who appears in Dark Summer. As we intended to layer the titles over the shots, instead of having cutaways we made the colour of the font white, so that it would contrast with the dark lighting of our shots.


We also made the final title, "Dark Summer" white because we wanted the last shot to fade to black.

3rd Shoot

On our last shoot, we did not get what we had hoped for. This is what we filmed:

 

We have decided to hold another shoot
Plans for this:
Final Shooting

Second Cut

Having changed the ending, we are still not happy with it. Many things went wrong:

• The POV shot running into the room - pace doesn't fit properly
• Why would the babysitter start to rearrange the room? Doesn't make sense
• CU of doll has more of a comical effect, which is not what we were aiming to achieve
• The noise is strange at the end - doesn't really have a purpose
• When Mel drops the doll, the shot is stange and this ending is boring with no purpose

We are planning a new ending, which will hopefully have better continuity and be less jumpy. Also, it seesm that we didn't thoroughly think about the scene and why things are happening. Hopefully in the next shoot, we will have a better ending. Also, as we will have more time we may be able to get a better variet yof shots that fit together.

Researching Logos

After close observation of many film company logos, we have noticed that all or most have a scenic image for a background. The above logos all show images of the sky or skyline, which signifies aspirational qualities. As they all have this similar feature, and as all are large, successful companies we could incorporate a scenic image in our production company logo as well.

The font used in each logo could also be regarded as synonymous with the company itself. For instance, the Paramount and 20th C Fox fonts used are easily recognisable, further creating a brand image. In contrast, the fonts used for Dreamworks and WB are quite basic and simple, this does not over-complicate the logo and the image.

Addtionally, they all feature their names of their parent companies i.e. A Time Warner Company. This branding is significant as it shows they are part of larger companies which are partly responsible for their successes. Incorporating an additional name would also suggest professionalism; we could attempt to include this in our own logo.

Re-shoot

We have decided that some shots could be improved and sequences (like in the bedroom) can be completely redone. There are 3 main parts to re-shoot, which are:

• Fridge shot - stranger at the door: we should only see him once, after Zoe has closed the fridge, so that there is some suspense in the beginning. Also, he should be trying to open the door, so the audience would see the handle moving, but again, Zoe won't.

• Reaction shot of Zoe: should be more realistic. Also, when she drops the cup, the juice should be really red, rather than watery as the red is a signifier of blood and murder which is vital to the rest of the film.
• Bedroom sequence:
• Zoe runs in quickly to the bed. She sees Summer in bed with her hair sticking out. Saying "Thank God," she walks around, tidying up.
• She tidies crayons and drawings and notices a strange picture. There is a music box and teddybear on the floor. The teddybear has a red ribbon, again connoting murder She puts the music box on the bedside table and goes to tuck Summer's teddybear in her bed.
• As she pulls back the covers to place the bear, she realises that what she though was Summer is actually a doll and not in the room. She starts screaming and backs away towards the wall.

Editing Our Sequence

:
EDITING
After filming our sequence we have began to edit it so that the continuity is perfect and it flows properly. We have been able to clarify which parts we will need to re-shoot, such as the cup falling on the floor  (as the reaction is not very realistic and the cup falls awkwardly) or Zoe in the bedroom (because it would be useful to have other endings as the one we have now isn't quite right.)

FEEDBACK:

What went well:

• First shot- phone, see 'Mrs Matthews', some characterisation
• Good actress, realistic + believable
• Location, homey and good colours
• Outside shot, from garden
• Match on action - opening fridge
• Sound - music box, eerie
• Stairs - lots of good cuts, variety + quick pace signify frantic + urgency
• MES - room: rocking horse, drawings

Improvements:

• Reaction shot in kitchen- not very believable
• Juice on floor - not red enough
• Walking in to room - more urgency. Why does she look around? Doesn't make sense
• Tidy kitchen so it's not as cluttered. Needs to look like a 'hollywood home'
• Stairs - even though there's variety it's a bit choppy
• SFX:
• panting as she runs up stairs
• Michael at the door - could he be trying to open it?
• Music - should be added, at least at the beginning to signify a thriller film.

Props: Creating Atmosphere

We created drawings that could be placed in the child's room so that it looked more authentic and realistic. We used crayons, as the child is supposed to be quite young. One drawing showed the child with her parents. The parents' eyes were crossed out, maybe connoting that they will be killed. Showing this on screen would create a mystery to the audience, leaving them with questions.

Michael is the stranger who we see at the door and looks in on Zoe from the garden as she is in the kitchen. He wears a white mask and dark clothing. We are also filming when during the evening so he will blend into the darkness, while the mask stands out. This creepiness disturbs the atmosphere as Zoe will not see him but the audience is aware of his presence. The fact that he is posed in an awkward stance is eerie.

Script

Script for Opening Sequence

The script is vital is it important for our actress to know what she is saying and doing. This aids the shot list and storyboard, describing appearances and setting, which adds to the mood we are trying to create. I wrote the shotlist in a typical way that would appeal to professionals in the industry. The font looks appropriate for a real film and the layout is clear and easy to read so actors can see their lines easily and directors are able to refer to it at any time.

Shot List

Shot List

The shot list very useful for planning. When filming we don't have to think about when to shoot and where. This makes it clear of the order to shoot so that we don't waste time on the day.

Props List

General:

• plastic cups
• red drink (strawberry Ribena or Vimto)
• mobile phone
• music box
• rocking horse
• child's drawings
• crayons/pencils

Actors:

• mask
• black coat/hoodie
• black jeans
• casual tops
• jeans
• plain shoes (not branded)
• socks
• red coat

Props: Mask

We are using a mask for the man who appears in our thriller. This is so that his identity is not revealed, as this is important for the rest of the plot so that it can unfold over time. Also, this allows for the audience to make their own decisions about the stranger - Who is he? What is he doing? Is he the kidnapper? ...Or not?

Choosing the mask is extremely important as we want to set the right tone for the character. Choosing a colourful would have a different effect to a plain white mask, or comical characterised face.

In The Strangers, the villains wear characterised faces with black eyes which are very eerie and because they are wearing  everyday outfits they seem like regular people but this is so creepy and mysterious because they are so murderous and evil. Furthermore, the fact that we never find out who these people are adds to the chilling atmosphere of the film, leaving the audience with uncertainty as they will never find out the true identities of the killers.

I think we would like to go for a more minimalistic approach, with white masks and dark clothing as black represents something negative and dark, whereas white connotes purity and innocence. The two colours justaposed together can send mixed messages, which relates directly to what we are trying to portray from this character. He is there two confuse the audience and raise questions, creating uncertainty and enigma which therefore makes them want to watch more/

Other Popular Media: Men/Masks

A mask takes the ability of knowing who or what something away. It is impossible to tell if the attacker is someone known, or a complete stranger. It sets up for a mystery that drags the viewer deeper into the horror film to see if they are able to find out who, or what, is behind the mask. A mask hides identity, connoting mystery and ambiguity, leaving the identity of the killer up to the imaginations of the audience.

A mask can allow a character to become superhuman, and impervious to pain. A perfect example of this is how the hockey mask was part of what caused Jason Voorhees to come back to life in the cemetery scene in Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI.

Also, Tomas in The Orphanage seems so mysterious and as he is a child wearing a mask it seems really freaky as we cannot tell if he is a murderer. At first, he appears to be the villain or have something to do with the disappearing boy, but we realise later that he was not involved in the abduction and is actually a ghost.

Withholding information would work to our advantage because it keeps the audience guessing – even if they see the masked man and the other character doesn’t there is a mystery involved. The fear of the unknown is key to building the narrative of the opening sequence, but also for the movie as a whole. The mysterious man creates enigma, leaving the audience wanting to know more.

Teacher Feedback on Proposal

Feedback from Miss Blackborow on 27/01/10

Good Points:

• Audience know more than Zoe - they have power and are implicated. Sets up questions - who is the man? How will the man become part of twist?
• Visual referencing is great. Content - audience appeal e.g. phones, technology, red signifiers
• Familiarity and imagery
• House practical, thought about viability. Good angles etc.

What to think about:

• Use more media terms/language , e.g connotations, signifiers
• Use themes more, like contemporary films
• Name examples of consumerism, think of other films, TV shows
• Reference other films more explicitly, especially those similar to ours, e.g. the opening of Scream (we have already included this towards the beginning of our blog, but not on the handout.)
• Maybe the group is doing too much? Too much may be going on so the sequence may need to end sooner than anticipated.

PLAN B) We could end when Zoe hears the screams coming from upstairs. Maybe she screams? If we have too much, we can end sooner so we are able to focus more on detail - characters, build up, angles etc.

Brief Outline of Film

PLOT:

Beginning:

A phone rings and we see an 18 year old girl (Zoe)is babysitting in a house. She then goes to the kitchen A man is standing at the window, wearing a mask, hood and dressed in dark clothes.

The audience see him but Zoe doesn't. She then hears a scream and strange noises coming from the child's room upstairs. She is startled and drops a cup of juice (which is red), smashing it on the floor. She runs upstairs to check on the child. She opens the door, glancing at drawings, a rocking horse, (and maybe a music box). The window has blown open and as she approaches the bed, slowly pulling open the covers to realise that the child is gone.

Rest of the film

5 years later and a newspaper article reads that the babysitter is now jail. Strangely, though, teenagers and children are being abducted from the town. It seems that Zoe is not the killer and somebody else is involved. Is Zoe the killer? Is she crazy? Or is someone else behind the mystery?

Other Popular Media

Women in thrillers often portray a vulnerable character:
Popular films such as Halloween, Scream, Babysitter Wanted, Hostel Part 2 etc all use women who are attacked in some way by powerful men.
Halloween is a good example where the babysitter is attacked, but survives. Endings of films usually leave room for sequels and horror Franchises like Friday The 13th, Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street have succeeded in achieving sult status, proving that the typical horror style can be successful (when they have a twist or surprise.)

Women tend to be vulnerable, crying and even though locations may be familar, they are not normal to the character. (ie a babysitter in somebody else's house.) The sense of familiarity can be important for an audience. Even though films such as Avatar are successful because they break the boundaries, using futuristic locations and effects, it's always a good idea to have films that viewers can relate to.

Group Meeting

26th January 2010

2nd Group Meeting

12:30-1.30pm

Location:

• House (Michael's)
• Kitchen with window looking out to garden
• Bedroom
• Childish features
• Teddies
• Rocking horse
• Drawings
• Musical box - eerie music

Actors:

• Teenage babysitter
• Young
• Pretty - average teen, girl next door
• Innocent, naive
• British accent - London
• Brunette, normal teen
• Caucasian, but tanned - looks nice
• Casually dressed - jeans, natural makeup

• 
  
  
  Man
• 
  
  Mysterious
• 
  
  Hidden Identity
• 
  
  Watches girl - psychotic
• 
  
  Mask - scary, creepy expression
• 
  
  Dark clothing - ambigious
• 
  
  Freakishly tall, ie Halloween
• 
  
  Don't see skin/hair colour - enigmatic
• 
  
  Cast in shadows, secretive

Group Meeting 1

20th January 2010
1st Group Meeting
9:30-10.50am

Ideas for opening:

Winnie:
Follow a woman doing her daily routine - equilibrium established. Cup falls on floor + disrupts normality. She sees something scary. (Blood? Body?)

Michael:
Lone, vunlnerable woman at home. Dark - afternoon maybe? A man at the window- audience sees but she doesn't- enigmatic as she hasn't seen the man. Will she discover who he is?

Anisah
Babysitter arrives at house. The parents are going out and teenager is taking care of child. She goes to watch TV but there is a power cut. She runs to check on the child but he is gone-bedcovers are messed up, signifying someone was there and window is open. Tense, scary moment of realisation.

• All our ideas have a vulnerable woman at the centre of the plot
• We have decided to draw on themes from all 3 proposals:
• Babysitter is in house, on the phone to parents telling them that their child is in bed
• She goes to the fridge to get a drink
• There is a man at the window - the audience sees but teen doesn't, as her back is turned.
• She hears a scream and banging coming from the bedroom. This startles her and she drops the cup, the drink spilling on the floror
• She runs into the child's room to see if she is safe. The bed covers and window are open-has someone been here? 
• Enigma created- questions asked. Where is the child? Who was the man? Did he kidnap the her?

The part where the man is at the window is similar to that in The Box. The man looks scary and very strange. In the film, however, the character sees this man, which freaks her out. We thought it would be more chilling if the character was unaware of his presence, as it gives the audience something to think about - they may have the upper hand as they have seen him but they still do not know who he is.