Pitch

This is our pitch, after we planned what we were going to do for our thriller, we then planned when we were going to start filming and who our target audience we were going to target etc.

We done this so we could have something to look back to if we were stuck or needed help, also this helped us when we needed to add our production company to our final footage.

Evaluation

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Final Edit

This is our final edit we ended up having which i am very satisfied with. However I believe that if we where given longer time, and after having our group almost halved due to inconsistency of attendance we would have ended up with something much better in terms of the editing.

Changes in light of feedback from Roughcut

Rough Cut






Final Edit





Clearly the differences are highlighted here, the final edit has a far more polished look to it, the rough cut seems rushed and unfinished which was the situation. The sound i believe is the most significant part missing from the unfinished piece and once playing the final edit we can realise its importance. Diegetic and non-diegetic sound were put on to the sound and overall was one of the strongest point of our overall opening scene. The titles were added and you can see the lettering in font and effects created and show a huge gulf in difference involving the amount of suspense in the clip.

Skills Audit: Creation of Titles

Our titles were very significant in our scene, we had to make it similar to that of the art of the title sequence, following some of the conventions used in a professional paramount picture opening scene. Our sequence used a font that didn't look serious and boring but a quirky strange font that would ass to the creepy effect made in the opening. We had to set the title credits in areas where it would not clash with what was on camera, for example with the actors faces, by positioning them in the correct positions the opening would focus on what was on screen and not on the text.

We added fake names as the actors and directors to make it seem proffesional. Finally we added a shaky effect that made the text suffle, by doing this the text seemed sinister rubbing off on the entire clip.

Skills Audit: Creation of Soundtrack

After having the storyboard set and then after actually taking the filming shots we had an idea to use a slow stealthy sound which could help us amount high tension in our clip. I was in charge of forming a sound clip using soundtrack pro.

By selecting the right sounds and placing them on the timeline we set a regime to allow us to clearly define a link between the and the sound.

1st. The Sea saw that would be sound to the production company.

2nd. The sound of the furnace.

3rd. Sound of the diner adding diegetic sound in the background.

4th. The outside scene where you could hear surounding sounds e.g. birds

5th. There was too be a variety of hissing like sounds and creepy effect sounds which would largely contribute to adding tension.

These parts were all set out in the closest timing to that of the video, after when we actually added the sound to the video we were able to further make the transitions and changes in sound fit to what was on screen with simple editing techniques.

Rough Cut

This was our rough cut, it clearly has not been finished and a lot of time still spared for us to improve it, the sound was missing the titles needed doing also editing was needed unfortunately we were unable to edit adding effects.

Skills Audit: Editing

To make our piece to convey our desired suspense we needed to edit our clip, although we new and learnt how to do this we where unable to add effects as sadly our group was not able to come in for many lessons which almost dug us in whole.

Skills Audit: Filming

To start filming we gathered all the equipment needed, this included the film camera, the tripod and memory card mostly important, we had pre arranged the location where we were going to film our clip, in Springfield Park. Springfield Park was a perfect location, as it seems vacant and lonely, after setting up the equipment we headed towards the diner where we would film the start of the scene.

We had to ask for permission to film in the diner, and after buying some snacks we were granted a limited amount of time to get the shots we needed, this was quickly done as we worked hard an efficiently taking various shots so that our clip could have different angles of parts of the scene at our disposal. A combination of teamwork allowed and positive thinking let us grab essential shots such as establishing shots of both the park and outside the café, close ups of important things needed in the scene for example the fire place.

Our thriller named ‘Undiscovered’ was looking a prospect, the lighting on the day was perfect and the atmosphere was not glum but positively light, this was vital as a slight less required amount of light and the shot quality would plummet. During the opening part of the scene we had to take notice of the 180 degree rule, we did not break this which made it better in many ways, also by keeping all surroundings the same we where able to make the clip professional looking. The shots we took had to be at the actor’s height to add a sense of being involved so the audience could relate to the clip putting them at the edge of their seats.

After all the shots were taken in the diner we took our equipment outside, we were to take shots of the antagonist sitting on the bench, this was quick and again various angles where taken, finally we had to take shots of the protagonist, she was taken walking a dog, seeing that the dog was an unreliable source to film we spent a lot of time getting this piece of footage. In the end we were successfully able to get all the shots we needed then when we were satisfied we packed up all the equipment and returned it.

Skills audit: filming and editing preliminary match cut exersise

Once our final idea for our match cut exercise was ready, our group simply stuck to the storyboard and hit off with the recording as soon as our lesson begun. We brought together the equipment with the tri pod and the camera, we set them up and began taking various and varied shots of what we needed. It was important to keep the camera in focus and also as we where told before hand to follow the ‘180 degree’ rule, simply by not breaking this rule by not having the camera shoot shots from opposing sides of the room, it allowed us to keep a sense of flow which was vital in making it successful.

The two actor in our sequence where Sanita Kaur and Rojda Dere, I did the recording and managed to catch an Arial shot, shot reverse shot when they where in conversation. When Rojda enters the room in our clip we caught a close-up of the door hand and then caught her in mid-shot closing the door, then instantly changing the camera position to the other side of the door catching her entering. It was essential to keep every prop in chairs, hats, clothes and chairs in place as by moving objects it quickly becomes obvious that this clip is unprofessional. When we were recording the sound was vital, there was a clear amount of dialogue and we had to keep the surroundings quiet in order to reach a high amount of clarity. Once Rojda was in conversation with Sanita in our clip we had to lower the camera by reducing the tripod legs slightly always remembering that it had to even.

After catching all our shots we hit the editing suite, and made our clips into compilation of clips, keeping the slightest glitch to a minimum allowing it to look professional. All the clips where match cut together and the sound in the dialogue had to fit on par to the others.

Planning Preliminary Match Cut exercise including storyboard

In this media lesson we where given a quick yet rewarding task of predicting how a director would depict a scenario using camera shots, this exercise would allow us to think and understand how and what the director would have to do to convey his own message or to create his own feel to the scene. The synopsis for this scene was;

''East London. 3pm. A man chain smokes as he sits at his home PC, he copies confidential files and plans to a CD. He packages the and is seen posting them.''

We filled in a grid sheet which provided us with space to be specific about the camera shots including whether the shot was internal or external, camera shot type for example panning, arial shot, close up, long shot etc. the most significant gap we had to fill was what was actually happening on each shot. After having done this we where shown the clip and where able to see some similarities with the predicted storyboard, for example the stubbing out of the cigarette in a close up shot was guessed correctly. Also we where able to predict the smokers puff, in extreme close up which allowed us to learn how the director would portray coolness.

After having finished the exercise we then had to make a storyboard of our own clip in which we would explore the prime factors in making a good match cut scene. We were immediately informed of the '180 degree' rule, which was simple not to catch the proceedings on the camera lens from angles that brake 180 degrees, this would avoid confusion with viewer as to where and in what direction people are going. Our group made a quick yet effective synopsis which would hopefully allow us to use different types of camera shots,

''A girl is sitting in a room waiting for her friend, she is clearly not the best of friends as we quickly find out she is with the same guy that her friend is with. There are a clash of words, nothing serious yet with a lot of suspicion.''

When the character was to enter the room, there was to be a close up of the door handle, then quickly as the door opens from the other side we would catch the door opening right after a shot where you see the door closing. All of the camera shot where to be smoothy match cut together to give it a sense of reality and flow. Also an arial shot was to be taken of the two girls sitting along with a shot reverse shot while they communicate.

Skills Audit: Livetype and Sound

Live Type

For our thriller it was quickly obvious that it being an opening to a thriller, the titles, names of directors, and actors was needed on our clip, with Live Type it was more than easy to apply text on top of our piece of video work. With livetype there where a variety of fonts that would be vital in creating an adverse and scary feeling, also with effects such as fuzzy, smokey, hazy looking text it would further create a sense of negativity. After the live type file was to be finished the next step was making it a video clip style file, this was quickly shown to us and after the file was put into Final Cut Pro we could place it in any part of the clip, the position and size of the text could be changed at our desire which was very helpful.

Sound

In another media lesson we were introduce to the software this time that would be used to create our sound clip/file that was to be placed on our thriller opening which would add further conviction that it was a thriller seeing that music is vital to creating an atmosphere of tension and moods intended to create heightened moments of suspense. The software to be used was Soundtrack Pro, this software quickly gave a positive impression

as we were shown various options and editing tips that would allow us to take full control of our sound track. Editing such as the tempo of the sound where shown, we were able to learn that under the timeline one can open a separate volume timeline where you can easily change the volume of the track at anytime even adding increasing or decreasing effects. The number of sound clips was high and with varied instruments and beats along with sound effects the sound seemed a positive prospect that would boost our project significantly. Lengthening and shortening was easy once the sound clip was placed on the timeline, looping was also explored.

Wordle Activity

Cleary the most common word found by wordle is the word Sound seeing it is the largest size, we as a group must now keep an eye out for the sound in out clip.

Animatic Story Board

Thriller Story Board

This is the storyboard that we used in order to keep a set regime allowing us to follow a set pattern, this minimised any confusion on the filming day, this was important and we were able to get all the shots used in the storyboard on the day.

Location Shots

Here are some of the Location Shots that we Captured.

Perliminary Exercise

Match Cut Clip

This is our perliminary exercise

Match Cut Story Board

News and Current Affairs

Teen David Curran aged 19, was accused of manslaughter in court and pleaded not guilty saying he had be provoked to attack two polish builders outside their house. He had though already admitted to killing both men, and whiteness told that he had gone for the first man straight penetrating his skull in the temple area with a screw driver, then as soon as the second builder reacted he punched him then again forced the screwdriver this time into his victims neck.

A psychiatrist was charged with sexual assault after he was supposedly helping gay soldiers with an electric shock. Instead of shocking his patients he actually was caught making sexual advances after someone recorded his actions. It seems that he has done this on several occasions and the police are looking at 30 cases, Dr. Aubrey Levin had worked in Canada for 15 years before moving to South Africa where he then performed 'cures' supposedly 'curing' gay soldiers.

The mother of a new born baby was arrested after her baby was found dead outside a food store. Police have accused her of abandoning the baby of only 15 hours after birth, the mother has been taken into counseling.

Intro to Cameras & Health and Safety

In the this lesson of media studies we were introduced to the film making equipment, this included the camera itself for recording and the tripod which gives the camera a steady stabaliser for professional looking recording. We learnt how to unpack the camera stand expanding and collapsing it , we simply learnd how to lock and unlock the tubes which give it more hight, and also what buttons to press in order to place the camera on the top of the stabaliser, locking it on.

We were able to learn all about the camera and what buttons carried out various different comands, the cameras usage of user 1 was explored and is vital as it helps gain maximum clarity for best video recording quality. The zooming features were clarified and the focusing with the rotary wheel at the front o the camera was explored. Our Memory card was given to us so that we can record all our sequences of work. We were also shown how to view previously recorded footage which was highly interesting.