Intertitles Practice

I practiced possible intertitles on iMovie. However, since I am not using that programme it was not so useful. I know I want my intertitles to be over the top of the images. I also need to plan out the credits that will show by making up names etc. I am going to choose my chosen font and have the intertitles move across the screen(similar to this video). The intertitles will also continue probably until the end of the two minutes.

Diary Post-Editing Inter Titles

We edited some practice inter titles on iMovie. I made inter titles for a different film to my own. They were successful but not what I will use for my own opening film since I could not practice inter titles over the shots. I am also not going to edit with iMovie so this was not so helpful.

Diary Post- Audience Feedback

I presented my prezi on my initial ideas of my film to the class and my teacher. My target audience is between teenagers and adults so showing my video to the class reached my audience. Also my niche audience is people who enjoy artistic films and hopefully, showing my idea to a media class I could also reach them this way. I recieved little advice but rather was told my idea was good and interesting. However when telling my idea I could tell what I need to start planning which is the music, the angles of shots and soon a story board. This is so my idea can be clear in my mind and therefor far easier to make and explain. From listening to the advice given to the other students this helped me decide what I also needed to think about.

Survey Monkey Analysis of Results

I conducted a survey to see what my target audience looks for in as film, so that I can use this for my final. I didn't ask anything about gender,race or class since my film is to draw in audiences of all gender, races and classes.

The average age of my participants were in my target audience. Some of the older audiences would also be likely to watch my film, but they will not be target as much when it comes to marketing.

This was a key question to find out about my target audience. My participants fit into most of the categories but overall they say they are mainstreamers. This would mean I would have to market my film to the mainstream audience, and perhaps advertise my film as if it would be a franchise like Paranormal Activity.

It appears that most of my participants enjoy comedies. However I can use this for my advantage, by adding dark humour instead of the usual slapstick comedy. Horror, drama and action/adventure all got the second most amount of votes This is good since my film can fit into those genres. 

I asked participants who their favourite director was so that I can look at what these directors to to be successful and use their techniques for my film.

All participants gave the same answer overall; that the story needs a cliffhanger. I have already planned to do this for my film so hopefully I can engage my audience when they watch it. 

I also asked if there are any similar films I can look at. Most results were unhelpful as not many films fit into my specific genre. 

Characters/Actors

There will only be one character shown in the beginning of the film and that will be a young female adult. She will be played by myself. However there will be a call to her which will have a male's voice talking to her. Only his body and hands will be shown in the female's flashbacks as to hide his identity for the beginning, played by my boyfriend. The two characters will be in a relationship but this can only be guessed at the beginning of the film.

Actors I would have:

The male on the phone in the beginning- Jordan Murphy:My Mad Fat Diary, Spike Island, Waterloo road

Murphy has been able to play fun characters but can come off an intimidating, aggressive and easily offensive which describes the protagonists boyfriend in my film. 

His voice is only heard in the beginning with some quick shots of his body but if I was filming the whole movie he would fit the role of the manipulating, drug dealing boyfriend.

The female protagonist whom the audience meets in the beginning-Isabelle Fuhrman: Orphan, Hunger Games, Hounddog

Despite being known playing villains, Fuhrman can portray emotion and true character. I want my character to display different characteristics throughout the movie. 

The main female is shown going around the house with mainly expressions shown, which Fuhrman can express clearly. She can fit into a character who faces troubles but keeps her emotions to herself and isn't afraid to fight back at times.

Similar Sections of Films to take Inspiration from

Requiem for a Dream: Split screen- Gives the objects importance whilst showing character's expression

Phone Booth:Off screen talking- Doesn't show who's on the phone to add tension and to hide identity until the end. Also focuses on the character's reactions to what they're saying.

Film opening with ideas from other films

This is my first idea for my opening two minutes, using inspiration from other films.
I've explained the style  of films I enjoy, my genre of film,the editing style I will use, cinematography,sound,setting and narrative. Many of this will develop and change as I start to plan my film more.

Initial Film Ideas

These are my initial ideas for the film. These ideas may change before I make the final film.
I've explained the genre, storyline, opening, characters, costumes, settings, music and style of editing.
As these are the initial ideas they are so far unplanned and very basic. I will develop these ideas over times, perhaps changing some ideas or taking them further.

Two Minute Treatment

• Opens with Focus Features logo as the audience hears an alarm clock and music
• Cut to close up of clock ringing and a hand reaching to hit it off
• Long shot of girl in bed with an obvious bruise around her eye
• Shot of girl going into a room in her pjs and cut to her coming out in dark clothes
• Close up shots and split screen shots of her brushing her teeth, brushing hair and putting on makeup
• Meanwhile there's quick jump cuts of what happened the night before- blurred shot of drugs being delt- also with a sharp static sound
• Canted shot of her walking down the stairs using a match on action
• Another quick jump cut of a man's face smiling but it's blurred and dark
• Another split screen shot of her making a hot drink in the kitchen-loud sounds of mug hitting table and other shot of her eyes looking tired
• Quick jump cut of a couple embracing
• Jump cut to her in the living room and slowly sitting down
• Last quick jump cut of someone being hit
• Extreme close up of girls eyes blinking- looking confused but overall unemotional
• Various shots of photos and items in her living room- to set the character
• Sudden jump of phone ringing
• Phone rings for a while whilst girl hesitates to pick it up. Phone goes to voicemail and we hear a man's voice telling her to meet him
• End

This is the basis for my film. When I further look into other films and institutions the overall film will most likely evolve as new ideas will be considered. 

Diary Post- Editing the preliminary task

Overall I disliked trying to edit using iMovie. The program is easy to use but the computers themselves I find confusing and complicated. It was difficult to select a section of a scene to edit. For example I wanted to make part of a videos sound lower because of a large clash in the background but selecting a small segment of the video seemed too difficult. In addition the film wouldn't play from the middle, only the beginning, meaning I had to watch the whole film to make sure it was okay. This could have been because of the wireless mouses but this is most likely because I haven't figured everything out, but I'd much prefer to edit the video at home with Sony Vegas. My film so far is doing okay but I would rather restart it since I've learnt the basics now.

Diary Post- Filming the preliminary task

In a group of three, me and two others began to shoot for our preliminary task. In doing so we had to use the match on action shot and the shot reverse shot. I realised that to achieve these well you'll need to shoot for a longer time than you think. For example when shooting someone going through a door, you need them to finish the action, as in open the door and close it, even if you're not going to show them closing it. This is because when editing you need the second shot of them opening the door from the other side to match at the right time, so it doesn't look like the door has opened again. The quality of the film was good however the sound could have been improved on. It was difficult with other people in the background so we would have to wait a lot; a school isn't a good place to shoot. I think we got just enough shots for the time we had but it would've been useful if we filmed more.

Preliminary Task

This is my preliminary task where I had to include a shot reverse shot, match on action shot and the 180 degree rule. Shooting this helped me to become reacquainted with shooting and editing. For a quick film, I think suitable shots and editing was used. However for my final film I want to use much more complex editing, so will have to practice myself.

Location Research

My short film opening will be filmed throughout my house as this will make it easier; filming will not be interrupted by strangers or weather changes. This scenery relates to my genre since it is an average home which can be made to look scruffy and owned by only one person. Anything which looks out of place such as expensive items will be taken out since my main character is not wealthy. I will also film outside and take shots of roads to establish the urban setting.

Bedroom: The film will begin in an adults bedroom where the main character wakes up

Bathroom: The main character will go to the bathroom and get ready

Stairs: The character will be shown walking down the stairs after she is ready

Kitchen: She will walk down to make a hot drink and ponder

Living room: The short film ends in the living room where she receives the phone call