Sound Experimentation 2

I've experimenting with the ambient city sounds more and asked Patrycja to listen with me:

Picture of Patrycja and me listening

I really like what I've come up with here's the sound:

Here's some feedback from it:

I think it creates the tension for the audience and the busy atmosphere that cities have. It's almost like it's got a rhythm to it, a heartbeat, which is why I like it. But I'm not sure if we are actually going to use it yet because we may change to an easier location with the filming, which will slightly impact the atmosphere and thus the non-diagetic sound.

I also really like the exhale that I found on Logic Pro, I hope it's good enough for our opening sequence's titles.

Here it is:

Let me know what you think to it via comment or I might just have to interview you!

Radio Report Script 2

After recording the script using the camera myself, I uploaded the video's onto Premier Pro today. Patrycja and I then listened to the clips and discussed which ones to use:

Listening to first recordings of 'Radio Report', using Premier Pro

Having discussed, we realised that we needed to change the script as it didn't seem flow properly. This is shown in the following.

Firstly, we annotated it:

Amendments made to 'Radio Report'

Secondly, we made the changes in Microsoft Office Word:

Good evening, all you Londoner’s! I’m Dawn Cope and you’re listening to ‘Look out’ Radio’s 60-second news updates

Have you recently seen anything unusual?
We have reports of sightings in Oxford Street of a young female, early teens, wearing a ripped, blood stained, white night gown.
She is said to have marks across her face and skin, possibly abrasions or bruising.
She is also said to have long dark, matted hair.
If you believe you have seen this girl, or someone of a similar description, please do not hesitate, report immediately to your local Police Station and Lookout Radio…

Heading today’s 'More Money Than Sense' is Katie Price, who has recently bought a new 9 and a half thousand pound handbag and says it’s “a splash of cash for my little Princess”

Thirdly, I recorded it again and uploaded it to Premier Pro:

Listening to second recording of 'Radio Report', using Premier Pro

Hopefully we are done with editing the script!

Feedback appreciated, keep following thanks :)

Analysing Film Openings 5

North By North West film poster

I briefly watched North By North West's Opening Sequence because I admire Alfred Hitchcock's style and was intrigued by how he began this film especially as it has elements of the Thriller genre.

I really enjoyed watching the beginning as Hitchcock establishes the location immediately. I enjoyed the short animation before, in green, as the lines were drawn and smoothly transitioned through a fade effect to the reflection of traffic on a skyscraper. The audience understand that it is a city by targeting specific buildings, like sky scrapers, using the reflections on the windows to see ongoing traffic, targeting specific streets and vehicles i.e. America's notorious yellow taxi cabs, targeting busy crowds and specific people to display the hardship, busy and almost unkind atmosphere a city can be. I found this really insightful and an inspiration to start the film focusing on location first, especially as I would like to recreate a busy city atmosphere too.

I've been thinking that, to also target London and make it seem clearer, I could film on a rainy day - not only is it pathetic fallacy for a negative event or happening, but England's weather is notorious for rain.

Here's a BBC weather report

This would be a really interesting shot to take, to establish the location through a LS and window reiterating that the audience is watching, although I'm not sure if I would be able to because of the location and time it would take to travel would be very challenging. It might be too far fetched for our opening sequence at the moment but it's an interesting idea for an establishing shot.

I really want to included shots with London's red buses as it helps establish the location. I also would like to take shots of crowds holding umbrellas to help show that it is raining through the ms-en-scene even if the camera doesn't pick it up and to display the effect that nature has over man; helping create a realistic atmosphere.

However, I can't rely on the weather as it's unpredictable and we could waist valuable filming time. It would be ideal to film in the rain as the pathetic fallacy would be perfect, although not ideal filming conditions, I am willing to not film in the rain if it provides good filming that Patrycja could work with in editing.

Final Title for Opening Sequence

I found that the naming of our film wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Patrycja and I both wanted something that would fit with our story-line and would also go with the theme of ghosts. Yes, the element of revenge is heavily focused upon in our synopsis, however, we didn't want the title to be 'Revenge' as it would give away the main theme. I wanted to focus upon the fact that we have a ghost in our opening sequence. So, we both considered our own ideas for the title. This did take a while as we wanted to be very specific. I mean we wanted the title to provoke intrigue and suggest an element of suspense, whilst also using a font or graphic effect to set the pace for the audience and help them identify what our genre is and what our film will contain via the title. I came up with 'The Forgotten', as ghosts are people who have passed away and remain stuck in the world possibly for so long that society forgets them - it seems to be appropriate for our narrative, as our unnamed female ghost is trapped and is forgotten by society until the events within our opening sequence occur.

Concerning the look of our title we both wanted something edgy that seemed either unnatural or have an eerie sense when seen. Mulling over a selection of fonts from Patrycja's research on fonts we then decided to agree on this:

I really like the aesthetic of the title because it's, faded, smudged, has a broken glass effect on some letters, some splatter effects, seems used, dirty, seems unnaturally crafted, seems intimidating and gripping; provoking intrigue. I think it is perfect for our story-line, fitting the genre, the unnatural element in our film and really gives a feel that something isn't right, there is disequilibrium and a sense of impending doom for the audience.

We both wanted to use a black font colour and not red because that is associated with the Horror genre, also we enjoyed the look of the black because it gives an impression of something dark, mysterious, it gives our title an edge, adds intrigue and is used to create an inhuman eerie atmosphere.

I hope you've enjoyed my thoughts on this and our developments so far, thanks :)

Research on Script Layouts

This research on script layout helped me realise that a script is essentially for the actors and editors, it generally should not have a list of shots before the actual diagetic dialogue or any other sounds happening, it should skip to the dialogue to aid the actors and help the editors with where the sounds should go and should not have a list of shots before any action - the action should start immediately.

Here are some examples of script layouts that I have found and learnt from:

Usually, the location is addressed at the top of the script. For example, INT represents interior and EXT represents exterior. Following this will be the location of significance, KITCHEN, the area, CHESTER SQUARE, the city, LONDON, time period PRESENT and the time of day, MORNING. All of which establish the location and setting of the scene.  

Although, some scripts begin with FADE IN, this is aimed at the editor to direct where an effect may go. FADE IN's are a good way to transition through scenes as there is not that jump between scenes, creating a flowing narrative. However, this convention may be broken to immediately place the audience in a series of fast paced events.

Music is another beginning to a script and again directs the editor; this time with he type of sound - non-diagetic, MUSIC: THEME TO CRYING STORE...FADES AFTER FIRST ALAN JAMISON LINE. A voice over, V.O., may also be on a script. A voice over is an unseen commentator, who could be a narrator or protagonist, saying lines that are edited onto the clip.

It's even better when a script combines music and edited effects along with the actors cue, as the editor can grasp a clearer understanding of a task set; saving vital time as there is no need to discuss what the editor should do as they have been given specific directions.

Next the stage directions. Virtually in the title the - stage directions - direct the actors who are in position, they may also give a brief back-story to help an actor understand their characters situation. Stage directions can also take place during or after a characters line, this is called a cue, where a specific movement is allocated to a specific word, phrase or line - directing the actor.

A characters name is titled over their lines to help actors differentiate between who is speaking.

For example:

MARGARET

Too much. Much too much butter.

DENIS

I like butter.

Something else I've noticed is that the stage directions are separated from the dialogue. I think this is good because it won't confuse the actors between their lines and directions. It also makes a script look neater and more presentable.

I'm glad I've researched this because I understand more about how a script looks and understand the reasons to why things are used.

Please leave any helpful feedback so I can improve my understanding further thanks :)

Questionnaire For You

Hi everyone,
This post requires you to feedback...

I was wondering what my male characters could look like. As you've been following my blog I presume you know that I'm focusing on the Thriller-Horror genre for the Final and you have a rough understanding of my idea.

So here's some pics (from Google) of my potential male Protagonist and his brother:

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Please comment which number you think suits the Protagonist, which one suits his Brother and give a reason for you're choice. Thank you!

Next, some pics (from Google) of my potential young female Ghost (baring in mind that she did go to an insane asylum):

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Please choose the number/s you think suits her the most and give reasons why.
Thank you!