22nd March - Re - Edit

Re - Edit: Music and Camera Edits

The second half of this lesson was spent allocating certain jobs to all four or us so that the process, especially later on in the process can run efficiently and smooth. Today I searched for more tense and suspense tracks with could go underneath the action towards the end of the clip to build up the tension and hopefully make it sound less like a TV drama.

http://freeplaymusic.com/

I carried out my research on the website above and gained 5 possible tracks, which i saved on to our shared (T) Drive so that Josh could access them whilst he was editing the footage in Adobe Premier on a separate computer.

Below are the titles of the tracks which i thought appropriate:

• Figures Taking Shape
• Freeze In Place
• Secrets Told
• The Dark Side
• Victim Pileup

These tracks had the detective themed edge to them but also carried an undertone of suspense and thrill.

22nd March - Feedback on First Draft

Feedback

Today we watched our peers' opening sequences and gave constructive comments to help them improve. We had to think individually what we thought the plot was and then two points of feedback, one positive comment and one improvement.

Our feedback points were:

• Unusual approach
• Good camera work
• Good music choices - tension built at points
• Out of focus shot at the end - good ending
• Music - at points makes it sound like Television Drama
• Re-film shots in wide screen (that weren't)
• Length of shots need to be edited and cut down
• "Tom" and "Sophie" romantic section, looks too "happy" and focused around them
• Cuts more from "stalkers" point of view so that it build up tension

These points will be taken in to consideration when we re-edit next lesson.

Out Of Focus - Draft Edit

15th March - Editing (Continued)

Editing (continued):

Today we continued with editing together our opening sequence. We decided as a group that we definitely wouldn't re-film my scene (due to the screen size) and just leave it out, unless asked to in feedback after first draft hand in date. Today we got the main edited block completed, this meant we could get started on the time consuming effects of brightness, saturation and transitions and titles.

Firstly, we had a discussion whether our opening sequence should be in black and white and colour, just black and white or just colour. We finally decided that the whole opening sequence should be in black and white. This will hopefully give the impression of a sinister detective genre format. The black and white footage also gives this opening sequence a unusual and unpredictable nature, therefore hopefully gaining its originality.

Unfortunately Sophie Neil and Thomas Adcock had to spend the last hour just catching up on their blogs, however they were still all included in executive decisions made by Josh who was editing with my support with audio files and effect decisions. Next lesson we need to finish editing process by adding titles and making it look professional.

12th March - Editing

Editing

Today, in lesson we captured the videos which we shot earlier and then started the editing process. Firstly we looked at all of the clips which we had taken throughout filming process which were accessible through the (T) Drive. Whilst watching the clips all of us had a discussion about which bits of that can be used and which bits we can crop slightly. We filmed more so that in the editing process we had enough footage, rather than having to go out and shoot at the last minuted. We decided that the hand held cam (taken by Sophie) for the pan worked better than the tripod pan (taken by Josh). This was due to the fact that, due to the bird eye view shot of this shot, the tripod pan was fairly rigid and inconsistent. This obviously, wasn't the effect we wanted to achieve. Therefore we decided to use the hand held camera footage. We then placed the clips of me walking (using fade transition) after pan sequence, then faded back into the panning of the photos. We played around with the saturation and brightness levels, because, due to the fact that the panning sequence was in black and white, it was quite a contrasting change to go from black and white to colour.

Unfortunately, towards the end of the lesson we we were about to insert the video that we captured earlier, we found out that we hadn't put them in wide screen, when all our other shots are on wide screen. These pieces of footage obviously couldn't be used because, even when edited looked extremely smaller than the others. This was very unfortunate, although we decided as a group that next Monday we would edit what we had, and if we needed the footage then we would re-film it (in the correct screen size).

12th March - Final Filming

Final Filming

Today in period 3, we went to the field, where we filmed our last scenes. These scenes were shots, like the ones of Tom and Sophie on Monday, but shots of Me. Due to the fact I am in the picture pan at the start too and it wouldn't make sense if the stalker is just focusing on one victim, when there's two in the pictures. It was raining during filming and very cold, therefore we tried to get these scenes shot efficiently with a high level of focus. (These shots were taken by Thomas Adcock with Sophie Neil's input on shot type, shot distance and second viewing. Sophie Neil was taking location shots and camera stills (below) whilst the footage was being taken).
The first shot was of Me approaching a swing park and sitting down on the swing, like Thomas did the other week. This was filmed from different angles, like Thomas's shots. However we did forget to shoot this from a high angle (with tripod and camera up on the slide platform) We then shot footage of me walking out the park, with the camera hidden behind a tree (unfortunately Sophie didn't take a picture of this shot). We then filmed me walking out of the park, and down a paved path across a field down towards a twitchel. During this footage, Josh (the stalker) walks in to the shot. We tried Josh walking from in front of the camera (few seconds after me), however this shot looked as if Josh had deliberately walked in this shot and it didn't look natural. As an actor you always have to a purpose to what you are doing, if you are portraying naturalism(Stanislavski's theory), therefore we attempted Josh walking in from behind the camera. This worked a lot better and actually looked as if the camera was more "invisible".
After these shots, we filmed, from the front, Me walking towards the camera, with Josh following me. This shot was purely taken, due to the fact that where the camera was before, the end of the path couldn't been seen, due to its location. This shot was filmed twice, in case in editing one of the shots are wrong. We did this with every shot will took today.
Finally we filmed (from the bottom of the twitchel), Me walking up the twitchel with Josh following me from behind, this shot continued until I got to the top of the twitchel and turned the corner on to the main road. This shot was interrupted several times, due to members of the public using this walkway as footpath. This delayed our timing, however the shot was still filmed twice.
The weather today, was much preferable weather for the theme of our thriller and gained the pathetic fallacy that we needed it too, rather than the sunny day when my walking shots where filmed the other week.

These pictures above are location shots and camera stills of our footage today

8th March - Filming (Continued)

Filming of Victims (Continued):

Today we carried on with the final scenes of our opening sequence. We clarified again at the start of the lesson that our opening sequence would be arranged like a montage of scenes which fade in and out of the photograph title pan sequence we filmed last week.

Firstly we started filming panning scenes of Tom and Sophie as they walked along a fence. This is again, an invisible camera shot rather than a perception of stalker shot, which are used later on in the sequence. We chose this location due to its normality and the fact that is near a forest with trees and bushes, these objects will help us when filming stalker perception shots, due to the foreground of the shot which will hopefully include trees so it will increase the verisimilitude because it will give the impression that the stalker is hiding.

Above are location shots of the first scene we filmed today.

We filmed Tom and Sophie walking along the fence just talking normally, we filmed this shot using an invisible camera and just panned. (This shot was filmed by Josh Curran). We again wanted various camera shot types and angles to be Incorporated in this opening titles to show our skills but more importantly make it interesting for the audience to watch.

Josh filmed these shots from different positions as you can see above, to again, make the shots vary and make the scenes more interesting. Josh also filmed several close ups so that the audience can see what the actors look like, therefore can relate to their teenage appearance and more importantly, hopefully link their faces back to the montage of photos playing throughout the opening sequence.

These are all stills showing the different camera angles used in this sequence.

After we filmed this scene we filmed the stalker perception shots from behind the trees in the centre area in the location shot above. This shot consisted of Tom and Sophie just talking, then Sophie looking directly at the camera (stalker) and turning Tom around to look at it. Every time they looked the camera (stalker) got more and more of the tree trunk (which I was stood behind), in the lens, to give the impression he is avoiding being spotted. Then they both look around and see him, the camera falls to the floor, and shows the stalker running after them. (This shot was taken by Andrew Tinley). This shot wasn't easy to film, due to the fact that we had to make it look as if the camera had been dropped by the stalker, in a panic, but still fall in a way where it looks realistic and also land angled, so that the audience can still see the stalker running towards its victims. This was also a tricky shot because we had to make it look as if it is being dropped, however keeping hold of it all the way down, to prevent damage. We had tree trucks surrounding the tree, therefore it was handy that it could fall on one of the trunks, angled so it can still capture the stalker running and Tom and Sophie running away. We filmed two shots of this, due to the fact it was tricky and unpredictable to shoot. The first time, luckily looked quite good, the second time, however when it dropped the camera must have lent on a branch, therefore making the screen fuzz and go all distorted then returning back to the actual footage we intended to take. This looked quite unique and actually added to the fact we intended it to look as if it had been dropped and fallen from quite a height, so when we get to editing we will chose which shot portrays this dramatic climax better.

This was a location shot of the pan shot I took of Tom and Sophie running through woods.

After this we filmed sections in the forest, which was located behind the trees which showed Tom and Sophie running through this, aiming to get away from the stalker. (This shot was taken by Andrew Tinley). This panning shot was just taken twice in different areas throughout the woods to gain a sense of entrapment. I also filmed a pan shot of Josh's (stalker's) shoes to show that he is going to get them, but this isn't shown.

We just need to finish my characters climax, we are arranging to do that on Wednesday morning, period 3 (which we are all off). Then we can start editing on Friday 12th March.

5th March - Filming

Filming Of Victims.

Today we continued filming for our opening sequence. Due to the loss of Sophie, due to other commitments, we only had three members of the group for the majority of the lesson. Firstly we captured the panning video we shot on Monday on the capturing software. This was done now, to save time later on in the process (due to the fact we are slightly behind) and to increase the efficiency of our group. We then got the camera and the tripod and headed out to Toton Lane where we filmed professional and amature shots, depending on the purposes of thee different shots.
We filmed me walking down a street and across a road. We did this twice, once using pan, long shot, from the other side of the road (giving the representation of an invisible camera) and one using amature mid, camera shot (representing the stalkers perception) used behind me as I was walking. We used different camera shot types to portray a wide range of camera angles in the opening sequence and portray different perceptions of view and make it interesting to watch.

These are location shots of the streets where I walked whilst being filmed.

We saw in the shot, as we were filming this police operation sign, which we thought would add to the opening sequence and indicate that a police investigation could occur in the film.

After we had filmed these scenes we started filming a scene in a playground which, we thought would add a sinister theme to the sequence and add to the childlike vulnerability. Unfortunately the weather was extremely sunny today, which meant that the atmosphere wasn't as we had hoped, however the sunshine may create an interesting jux-ta position between the clips and the incongruous opening titles and the overall context of the film.

The playground scene consisted of Tom swinging on swing. This shot was taken by the video camera on the tripod on the floor of the playground and the same shot again was taken from the higher slide platform, creating a low angle shot of Tom. We also took these shots using my digital camera on video mode, to create different camera visibilities and focuses, behind several trees of the same footage.

These images are location shots and the different camera angles used to capture tom on swing.

1st March: Film Production - Title Sequence

Film Production: Title Sequence
After having arranged those pictures on the pin board we took camera, tripod and props all down to Sophie's house. Her father was in the house so we were restricted to where we could film, due to the noise and annoyance. So after we had got over that slight problem we settled on filming it in the conservatory with the blinds closed. There was a cream coloured carpet on the floor and seeing as though this is a title sequence then we weren't filming any of the walls or scenery. We just filmed a birds eye view of the carpet. We put the pin board down the carpet and arranged the access photos around this main object then added the technical props in afterwards like camera, phones, cables, candles etc. We didn't light the candles, however, until we were ready to film.
A second problem occurred when we were just about ready to film. This consisted of the fact that the colour resolution on the screen was slightly green, we all clarified that this wasn't the colour that we could see on the floor. We finally came to the solution about 15 minutes later that some one had accidentally pressed night mode on, on the video camera. But after we had got over this, we filmed it using the "hand-held" camera technique to give the impression that some body is looking over these photos. We were about to film it again using the tripod and panning across them, however it was very tricky to get a birds eye shot whilst panning because the tripod base was always in the shot. Whilst Sophie recorded this panning sequence, which was recorded for about 90seconds, then we can edit it later on, I suggested that it is better to have too much footage than not enough for a title sequence. Sophie slowly panned these pictures, zooming in to certain ones and zooming out manually rather than auto. very slowly. This afternoon could have been more productive, however at least we can now split up, for efficiency purposes, and have footage to edit whilst some other people are filming. (Which is probably the plan for Friday).

Above are pictures of the pin board and arranged accessed photos around them on the cream coloured carpet.

1st March - Costume Planning and Ideas

Costume:

We decided as a group, seeing as though our thriller is aimed at teenagers (and possibly some parents and guardians) we had to add to the verisimilitude of the thriller by wearing costume, conforming to the conventional teenager and typical of teenagers at the moment in society.

Above are pictures from typical brand store "Topman/Topshop", which is one of the leading fashion stores for modern teenage fashion, therefore we want to portray this so that a teenage audience can connect with the characters in the film, therefore engaging them and making them theoretically feel "involved" within the film.

1st March: Prop Ideas and Film Preparation

Prop Ideas:
The day before filming I thought, to make it more believable and increase this opening titles verisimilitude I could gather some props to arrange around and on top the photos to make it look like a "work in progress". I had ideas of cameras, phones, cables, candles, pens, diaries etc. to enhance this effect. I also thought of adding a pin board in to this scene to stick some photo's on, using pins, to create a kind of "shrine". Due to the vast amount of pictures this pin board is aimed to be full of pictures.

Preparation For Filming:

Today, I used my first two free periods in the morning to print off the pictures which i took at the weekend, and cut them all out. I printed them in colour, and due to the fact I had edited them before by making contrast higher and brightness lower, they came out very bold. This will hopefully mean that it'll be easier for the video camera, when we get to filming, to pick up the contrasting colours.

Once cut out, I put the photos of me in different piles, depending on the different scenes and costumes used. Then in the lesson that afternoon me and Sophie put these pictures of me (and the ones of tom and Sophie, took last Friday) on the pin board and arranged them so that they were overlapping each other, however arranged like the stalker deliberately put these pictures there, so it was quite neat but in a "shrine" way. Tom also took some photos at the weekend, of him down at Nottingham canal on his mobile, he printed them off in this lesson and cut them out. Then we added these pictures so the pin board. The rest of the pictures I took and tom took, which were not on the pin board aimed to be scattered around the floor around the pin board to again create the effect of some sort of obsessive "shrine". Me and Sophie also thought of adding arrows, words and scribbles, drawn by black and red felt tip pens, to show the fact that he is obsessed. Also we scribbled out, using felt tip, Sophie's face in some of the "Sophie and tom" pictures to illustrate that the stalker is interested in the boy not the girl, and could represent the hatred and anger that he feels towards her.