Week 2 Construction

Started filming! Poppy (the new lead in the film) came to the dance school on Monday evening along with the three other girls to do a 45minute session of shots in the studio only.
The filming went well, good natural lighting in the studio allowed me to get good shots and a strong sense of how it would look in editing. The footage has turned out well although could do with a few more exercises. But generally am pleased with the result from this evenings filming.

To do this week:

• film scene with teenagers in alleyway
• Decide which scenes are logistically going to be able to fit into the two minute time period

Hancock Productions

I used stop-motion animation as planned and used an iconic diamond to symbolise a 'rough cut' nature to the company. The rip is deliberately made to look handmade, and you see a hand briefly editing the paper as the second piece draws over. The idea behind this was that a daemon has been let loose on a piece of art, allowed to do what he will. So naturally he scribbles, rips and shreds everything he can and finally leaves his imprint 'Productions'. Although a slightly odd look into the creation of this ident, it's what I envisaged it looking like an unseen character (the hand) had had carnage on the screen.

Productions

H a n c o c k

Progression from Preliminary Task

Looking Back at Your Preliminary Task, What do you Feel You Have Learnt in the Progression from it to the Full Product?

After spending 4months studying media, learning to use Final Cut ProX and other software whilst studying previous projects and other types of similar media. I have learnt to be more efficient in my work, whilst improving my standard. I've had to do a lot of planning for my film opening and it's taken a vast amount of time but as I have endeavoured further into the process my work pace has quickened and I've been able to complete tasks more easily and quickly, for example creating idents, preliminary tasks and storyboard animatics. 

I have learnt to use a variety of forms of media, such as SlideShare and Adobe Flash. These skills are displayed in my storyboard animatic and ident. These skills will be useful in the editing of my film, enabling me insert new music into the ident matching the film for continuity purposes. 
After creating the preliminary tasks of 'The Package' and 'Mysterious Interview' I've learnt about how shots look from camera to screen and the difference between the view through the camera and how that translates onto the screen. Quality of film is also important, on a small camera screen the picture can often appear far clearer and focused than it does on a 20" Mac Screen, so I will attempt to 'overlight' several of the scenes and use fillers to get high definition. However for some of the more intense, hallucinatory scenes I'd like to have grainy quality to distort the image. 

Week 1 Construction

After hoping to film over Christmas, my lead actor Anya is sadly in hospital at the moment for an unconfirmed amount of time so she will be unable to be in the film. I'm currently looking for a new lead, and have a few ideas about who would fit the part, however they have to look similar to the younger Name and also have to be typically 'ballerina' with dance skill.

I think a friend of mine, Poppy Almond will be able to play the part, she is very small and trained in all types of dance. I'm confident she'll be able to perform the role successfully, she also looks suitably alike my niece Amelie.

Conclusion of Planning

After accumulating all the information from my research section, surveys, vox-pops & exploration into the thriller genre. I'm now ready to shoot my opening sequence. I've written a stroyboard and shot-list and researched into acting, costume and locations as well as finding suitable actors to play the parts I require.

I'm filming in early January and plan to edit between January and February. I am going to film several fillers and out-takes while on location in case of any unforeseen problems I face in the editing studio. I'm taking 1x HD Camera, 1x Tripod, 1x Clapper Board and 2x Battery Lights & Stands. I think this equipment will be sufficient for me to complete filming in the locations chosen and get the shots I intend to shoot. I'm also going to take my shot list on location to keep a track through of shots and ensure I've captured everything.

Through my planning and research stage I have learnt a great deal about Final Cut Pro X so that when I have finished filming I will be able to suitably edit my movie. I have also managed to create a tester ident and title ideas graphically so that when shooting I have a clear understanding of the genre, what I'm trying to achieve and how best to do it.

Hopefully filming will go well!

Storyboard

Group Practice of Sound & Lighting

We used a basic script (unsuccessfully acted), battery lights and boom mic to practice how light looks in  certain situations.

Time Management

All the filming is going to be done over a two-day period at the start of January just after new year, most likely the 2nd & 3rd. This will allow one days filming in the dance studio and another in the alleyway (two main locations).

The filming in house (Name's bedroom), will be done in my house in the spare room, which is plain but  can be decorated, I plan on putting up a few simple posters and personalisations such as 'good luck' cards and pink bed sheets.

• 2nd January; filming in Dance Studio from 3-6pm. With all equipment and 'Ballet Girls' including Anya (Name).
• 3rd January; filming in alleyway 5-7pm. With all equipment, Theo Beck, 'Teenagers' & Anya (Name). 
• 8th January; filming at Alleyn's School in classroom with 'teenagers', student extras (can acquire on the day) and Anya (Name). 3.45-5pm. 
• 8th January; filming at Alleyn's School, Junior School Gate Entrance, with 'Teenagers' and Anya (Name). 

Reccee

Recce of key locations, shot using my friend as a replacement for the main character. Only needed to test dark locations with lights etc to ensure everything is prepared for filming days.

Tester Ident & Titles

I created this using effects on Final Cut ProX and a stop-motion animation that I created using a simple drawing, photographed and then made negative on Final Cut to give the white effect shown above.
I don't plan on using this as my actual ident because little thought went into the drawing and creation of it, but it does capture the eery/scary feel I'm going for. The idea of someone scratching out the title with a scalpel.

The ink droplets at the back are a filler, supplied by Final Cut that I feel fits well with the ident theme and adds effectiveness in the background. I plan on creating a more visual sketch but still using stop motion, having 'HH Productions' scratched over the opening of the film.

TITLES PLANNING:

• I plan on using shot 11-13 (found on shot list) to display the title, it's whilst Name is waking up and we get a sense that today is the day things will change in her life, which is why I've chosen to put the title in at this time. 
• The ident will come at the beginning of the film, with the balletic music required, being played over the top of the graphics.
• The ident will then fade to black and shot 1 will fade in from the black.
• I plan on using stop motion to draw my title and ident so that they coordinate with each other and then use stop motion to film it, creating a sketchy look. 
• The Director's name and name of lead actor, during shot 14-21 in the same scratched style as the other title sequences and ident. 

Out of the above graphic titles available on FinalCut ProX, I prefer the first one, I may etch in some Ballet shoes in the same scratched style that the title is in.
This film also shows the layered over effect of having the title play over the film as we see the action unfold. However I have chosen points in the opening where little is happening so that the titles don't distract from the actual film.