This is our independent pitch that our group put together to get plans and ideas across to fellow classmates. In the slideshow we created, we touched upon the important aspects that would help us in the production of our independent opening. Important aspects such as; the locations we are planning to film in, a brief plan of our story line and plot, the genre, and other logistics that are needed during production. While creating this pitch, our group thought about the ways in which we could make the ideas we put across to our peers, as convincing as we could. We also included our early stages of planning logo, however this has since been changed after the pitch. By putting our ideas across in this way, it helped me to understand and see what we have to do a lot clearer and benefitted the group as a whole as we agreed on everything and also showed that we can talk about our ideas with confidence.
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After looking into the website ‘UK Tribes’, as a group we decided we’d like to aim our production at the ‘Leading Edge’ target audience. The reason we chose this category of people is because we thought that people who class themselves as indie, hipster or not mainstream are usually the ones who go for the independent genre of film. The people who fit into the category of leading edge usually like to keep up with what’s new and different, and aren’t interested in the older trends as ‘it’s been done before.’ They’re creative and like to find new ways to express themselves. They like to inspire others and in turn like to be inspired themselves. As a group, we feel that using a young protagonist to reach out to our audience is important as people who may find themselves in a similar situation can use them as a role model.
The leading edge group of people are very tech-savvy and are known for their accounts on social media, such as facebook, tumblr, twitter, youtube etc. Although we would like our independent production to appeal to both men and women, a young female between the ages of 16-21 would be our ideal target audience member. They would have to like light-hearted romance comdies with an unexpected twist to the genre, in this case it’s independent, such as the one we’re planning to produce. In the image above, this is what we feel our audience member should be interested in and loosely fits the criteria of the audience we are trying to target.
From the survey our production group created on www.surveymonkey.com, we were able to conclude that most of the people who answered the survey were in their late teen years to early 20′s.
The genre that was picked by the audience in this age range the most was Independent. We found that gathering this information was very helpful as it fitted in with our brief. It also showed us clearly that independent is the preferred genre among our target audience, and now we hope to deliver an independent production that impresses them.
Those who chose the independent genre specified that they wanted a believable story line and that they would expect smooth cinematography throughout. They also admitted that they wanted “in depth, strong characters”, therefore as a group we have to make sure we select our cast carefully to ensure we produce a film that delivers to our target audience’s expectations of an independent film.
As a group, we also need to ensure that the script we will be using in production is in depth, and the same goes for our storyboard. We will need to guarantee that our work towards selecting cast members will pay off and that they are able to capture the attention of our audience. The story line and the script both need to be believable in the way that our audience will be able to relate to the characters and get captivated by the story and plot.
The research that we were left with indicated the people who answered our survey are beginning to visit the cinema a lot more, implying that our production would be viewed by a large group of people on a bigger scale, as it would be advertised.
Prior to filming, our group should play around with a wide range of different shot types and include ones we haven’t used before, some that would be expected to come up in an independent film and shots that the audience wouldn’t expect to see.
In future research, we could improve our survey by sharing it around a lot more in order to gain a wider variety of interest and answers, as we only received 33 responses and this number doesn’t fully represent our complete target audience although it does show good feedback to our brief.
This is our group’s sketch version of the storyboard we will use during production. Using this storyboard will help us know what shot types to use; which positions the camera should be in; character postions etc. We came up with this final version after putting different ideas in as a group. Although during the filming we may change a few elements according to this storyboard, but other than it is likely to stick pretty close to the guidelines we have set out.
The first thing I noticed about the opening of Donnie Darko, is the amount of dull hues of blue & grey and the derelict location. The use of colour and mise-en-scene in the atmosphere of the shot helps to give the audience a feeling of uneasiness and apprehension. These colours also hint towards the genre of the film however they also contradict them as dull colours such as these aren’t usually afflicted with films that are humorous and mind-bending. The sound used in the opening is non-diegetically edited over the top, with ominous sounding Tibetan bowls to create a disturbing atmosphere throughout. The location of the opening is odd and isn’t a setting often used in the beginning of film. However, the audience understands the idea that the main character may have had an accident for him to end up in the middle of the road.
The opening begins with a wide establishing Arc shot, where the camera moves around a hedge to bring the audience’s attention to the main focus. A dolly cart is then used to track in on the main character in this scene, bringing the audience’s attention in closer. The dolly cart provides dramatic and three-dimensional movement for viewers to feel as if they’re the ones making their own way over to the individual who is the point of focus. The tracking movement of the dolly cart is rigid and adds interesting dimensions to the opening of Donnie Darko.
At 0:44, the camera stops tracking in and continues to arc round the point of interest and stops to show a mid-shot of the character, with his position being more on the right side of the screen. With the use of a mid-shot, it shows the audience his facial appearance and his clothing. These details will make viewers start to think about the position the character in the opening is currently in.
At 0:51, the current scene swiftly changes to the background behind the main character and is a very wide-shot of the landscape around the character. This brings attention to the colours used & the location that Donnie Darko is based in. With the landscape still in shot, the main character intercepts to show a mid shot of him, taking the audience’s focus off of the background and onto this character once again. The camera stays in this same position from 0:59 - 1:20, while the main character is only in the shot from 0:59 - 1:13 as he walks out of frame. As he walks out of shot, the title of the feature is displayed over the same section of landscape for a further 3 seconds. An intensely bright ‘sun’ then appears and works as a transition between one scene and another.
The music in the scene following scene picks up into a positive paced soundtrack, enhancing the speed that the main character is travelling at. A backwards tracking dolly shot is used mostly throughout the second section of the opening, however it changes directions every few seconds to increase the effect of the visual speed that the main character is travelling at. During the tracking shots, a mix of both wide-shots & mid-shots are used.
With the use of the main character’s travelling shots, it helps the audience to get an idea of where the feature will be based and it sets the scene. The camera following him is also documenting his journey, as to how he gets around and his route back to his house. At 2:06 the camera pans from the main character being the point of focus to a man we haven’t met yet holding a leaf blower. The camera tracks in on the man as another person enters the shot. At 2:18, the man holds the leaf blower towards the woman. The pace of the recording slows down however it shows a faster slow motion to enhance the power of the leaf blower on the woman as she walks towards him.
At 2:33 into the opening of Donnie Darko, a wide-shot shows the main character’s house just as he comes in from the right side of the frame, throws his bike down and heads towards a door. The scene then cuts to a tilt at 2:38, moving from it’s position facing the sky and downwards slowly to then focus on a little girl jumping on a trampoline. The girl is jumping in slow motion until it makes a barely noticeable speed change to normal speed at 2:45. The audience probably know by now that this must be the family home of the main character as the 2 other characters look like they aren’t bothered about the boy’s return and just carry on with what they are doing.
In the end scene of the opening sequence, a tracking shot is used to highlight the main characters swift movement through the house. The scene ends on a frame of the open fridge door as the boy opens it, displaying a question saying “Where is Donnie?” signifying that Donnie could be someone we would come to know if we continued to watch this feature. This plain and simple question could lead the audience to think about the answer and leave them wanting to find out more.
In conclusion, I enjoyed the mellow yet intriguing opening to Donnie Darko. The overall feel I got from this opening is mystery and apprehension. Watching the opening made me want to know more, especially leaving the last scene on a question that wasn’t answered yet. However I wouldn’t see myself going for this type of film, although I enjoy the independent elements it has to offer and the various interesting uses of tracking shots & slow motion.
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After a long discussion as a group, we finally decided to come up with the name ‘Small Town Productions’ as our film production company’s name. We drafted a couple of other potential names however we didn’t like the other’s quite as much as this one. We also decided that we would like to match our genre of film with a hand drawn logo that is part of the film that we would be making. We made a few drafts of what we would like the logo to look like keeping in mind the fact that we want an eye catching hand drawn logo. Then our group decided that we want to use one of our filming locations as inspiration for our logo, by using Millie’s Grandma's house as the reference for our logo. We started by drawing our logo on white paper but then started using black paper as the background as we found it looked better and stood out more by doing this. The final outcome of our logo is shabby yet effective, and stands out to the audience. With most logos being simple and minimalist, our group’s logo is the opposite with more detail and less accuracy also highlighting the fact that we’re an independent production company.
In the first 23 seconds of the opening sequence, we are just shown the titles of who helped to produce Submarine and this may be used to keep the audience guessing what type of genre the film will be and to give insight into who helped produce the film before it starts. After the introduction of the opening titles, the camera slowly pans around what looks like a typical, messy room. With the use of mise-en-scene, panning around the room first helps to create the setting of the main character’s personality and interests before we meet them. The panning then stops and brings our focus to the boy using a slow zoom stopping with a close-up on the main character’s face to show his appearance.
1:06, the opening cuts to show wide-shot landscape images of where the film will take place, and with this use of mise-en-scene within these short cuts creates a feeling of tranquility and calmness and can make the audience anticipate the main feature. The music playing over the top of these scenes is also quite slow paced and increases the feeling of calmness in this opening.
At 1:37 the title of this film is shown in front and in the center of the wide landscape shots, in a bold eye catching font. By including the title at this point into the opening influences the viewers by making them again anticipate what the film is called and without announcing the name of the film until this point helps settle the audience into the film. The mellow music over the title also adds to the effect it will have on the audience, making them feel calm and ready to enjoy the film. The music at this point also helps to hint at the independent genre of the feature, as it isn’t the stereotypical mainstream song.
At 1:43 The camera then cuts to show a wide-shot with a silhouette of the main character, bringing the audience’s attention to both the view in front of him and the character. By positioning the camera behind the main character’s head also gives the audience an insight into what the boy is looking at and puts them in his position. The camera then cuts to show a close up of the back of the silhouetted main character to bring the audiences attention closer to him.
The colours used in the opening of this film are mostly dark blues, contrasting with the mise-en scene of the water-front location where this feature is filmed and the name of the film ‘Submarine’ which is also water related, making us think of different shades of blue and other dark colours going back to the classic British sea-side feel.
All in all, I really enjoy the slow paced opening to Submarine as it doesn’t give too much away about the rest of the film and relaxes those who watch it through the bold use of colours, mise-en-scene and music.
As the opening to ‘Juno’ begins, a mid-shot shows Juno (the main character) wiping juice from her mouth. As she does this, light-hearted non-diegetic music begins to play as the scene changes to show Juno walking along using a crabbing shot. By using this crabbing shot, it helps to show the audience that Juno is the main focus throughout the film. As the camera crabs following Juno, a tree is used as the starting point of a wipe turning ‘real-life’ into an animation. As the animation of Juno walking along the street begins, the titles also start. The titles match the rustic and messy look of the animation shown big, bold and in bright colours to stand out against the rest of the animation.
The colours in the opening of the film are bright, fun and give the audience the idea that the mood of the film will be high-spirited, and positive. There isn’t any dialogue in the opening, however I think by doing this it creates a good atmosphere and bring’s the audience’s attention to the visual a lot more. The non-diegetic music used for the opening also ties in with the bold use of colours to create a high-spirited and uplifting start to the movie.
In conclusion, I think the opening to Juno is quirky and is different to your usual film opening. I like the transition from real life to an animated life cleverly using a tree as the starting point. I would like to consider using something very similar by including an animation into our group’s final production.
As a group of 4, we took some time to decide on a film brief that suited us all. In the end we made a decision to create an independent film with a young protagonist. The reason we chose this genre is because we already have a low budget so we don’t have to make the opening look amazing however we can use our resources that we already have, and the local scenery. Another reason we chose this genre is because we can be flexible with the story line and we don’t have to follow such a concise, fixed genre. With an independent genre, we can go anywhere as long as we stick to the guidelines of having a young protagonist, which is when we thought it would be a good idea to turn our independent film into an indie rom-com.
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I put together a mood board after our group decided on the genre we would work on. When choosing the pictures I thought carefully about the type of relationship the two main characters in our final production would have, and the setting and mise-en-scene. By making this mood board, it helped to inspire me and give me ideas on which creative shot types we could use. I only chose to use screenshots from independent films as that is the genre we chose to work with. Our final production is going to be a ‘rom-com’ with a young protagonist called Nina, the main character’s name is then going to be the name of our film. In conclusion, by creating this mood board it has helped me know what sort of shot types professionals who work with this sort of film genre, would use.
For our second opening sequence, we decided to experiment with making an independent thriller about an individual who feels outcast from other people. As a group, we found the planning of this task quite simple however it took us a while to decide which shot-types we should use while creating these shots as it would vastly impact the story and the suspense that we intended to create.
In the first shot, we decided to use a wide establishing shot as we feel this shot type is the most useful to set the scene in which the characters are set and to show each of the characters appearance. By using this shot type the audience can quickly tell exactly what is going on without any further explanation throughout the following scenes.
The second shot is where we decided to use a close up of the three yellow jelly babies to show their expressions and reactions to what is going on to make the audience know how to react as well. We decided to use the ‘outcast individual’ to move the shots along and to signify that they’re clearly the murderer in our independent thriller.
In the third shot we chose to use a mid-shot to illustrate the typical horror themed film, and to show the body language of each character and to include all of the characters in one shot. By using this shot type the audience know exactly whats going on and knows where each character is. By using this sort of shot type it creates suspense and lets the audience get pulled into the action.
In the fourth scene, we decided to bring focus to the dead friend by surrounding the other jelly babies around the body to create an arrowhead and to bring focus to what has just happened. To succeed with this, we used a mid shot to allow the audience to bring their attention to the murder.
In our final shot we decided to use a long/mid shot to bring the focus and suspense to the two jelly baby friends killing each other as the final climax to end our sequence of shots. We thought this would be a good idea as it leaves the audience on a cliff-hanger and to keep them guessing.
Independent film research - Logos, Names and Production Companies
In our group, we all decided to pick the brief of an independent film genre - an independent movie with a young protagonist. We all decided on this particular genre as it suited to all of our interests and because we found it easier to come up with a film idea that would be relatable to our target audience. We also have a low budget so we thought it would be the best genre to suit our budget.
Our group of 4 decided to use this genre as it gives us free reign to do whatever we want but still stick to the genre. When it came to designing our film production company logo, we researched a number of independent logo's and came to the conclusion that most of them have a simplistic, plain and attractive appearance, making them easily recognized by audiences and to give the company a down to earth feel. In the end we decided to take a few ideas from the logos we had researched and apply them to our own, such as a hand drawing the name of the production company onto a plain background with simple illustrations to set the idea of a low-key production company.
After planning and deciding on a brief, and researching ideas for a logo we needed to decide on where to get our inspiration from so we would still appeal to our target audience. For example, we would need to pick up ideas from other independent productions and keep a rough idea of the mise-en-scene expected of an independent production. We would also incorporate elements of our logo into our independent film.
Firstly we started off with a close-up pull focus shot on the main orange jelly baby, blurring out the other yellow babies to position the audience’s focus onto the main character and to also show his facial expressions.
In the second shot, we decided to use a wide shot to show the other characters involved in the establishing shot and to set the scene.
In the third shot, we positioned the yellow jelly babies around the orange jelly baby to show the situation of the orange jelly baby being bullied and surrounded. We used a wide shot again to show the main protagonist.
Again, we have used a wide shot to show what’s going on and to highlight the fact that the main character has been beaten up and to show the expressions and the body language of his jelly baby bullies.
In the last shot, we used a wide-shot once again to show the separation between the main protagonists and his opponents. We used a wide-shot to bring attention to each of the character’s facial expressions and body language.
When we were conducting this task as a group, it helped us to develop more skills and to take a step towards our own independent opening scene planning.
This is our story-board that we produced in planning for our jelly-baby shot task.
Here is our groups finished preliminary task, where we had to show the skills we have learnt so far in media by creating a short video.
Our brief was to create an opening scene to a movie, in which my group decided we would try and make a realistic horror involving the classic horror film plot. By choosing this genre, our group found it easier to share each roll between the 4 of us. For example, since starting this task, I found that my skills in planning/producing and editing have improved.
In the process of planning for this to happen, we had to arrange a date where everyone in our group were able to get together and get the filming done. Before this, as a group we produced both a storyboard (to help us visualize what would happen in our preliminary task) and a script (for the people acting to know where they would be positioned, what they would say and the mise-en-scene in the shot).
For our group to produce the final preliminary task, we had to get together in one location, with our camera/scripts/storyboards etc to finally begin the process of filming. Surprisingly, our group got the filming done reasonably quickly and managed to get all the footage we needed in one afternoon. As a group we made sure that the lighting outside was right before we started filming, as we wanted a dark disturbing atmosphere not just in the house, but outside too. Also, we did this because the house we were filming in had ceiling windows with no curtains, so we didn’t want all the light coming in and interrupting our filming.
When editing our preliminary task we used Premiere Pro to upload all the different clips we has recorded and fit them together, adding non-diegetic sound and music over the top at certain points. We found that editing our video on this software was a lot easier than we thought it would be, as premiere pro is laid out quite simply and it’s obvious where everything is and what you have to do to produce a preliminary video of reasonable quality. When editing, fitting all the videos together was the easiest part as when we were recording we did it in chronological order so we knew when it came to editing we could do it without unnecessary hassle.
Personally, I find that the shots including Millie’s feet and my feet cutting to and from each other worked especially well and intensified the suspense that you would expect to feel while watching a horror film. Also, I think that the close-up shot with Millie’s hand slipping off of the banister worked very well as it doesn’t have to show you the whole image of someone falling down the stairs as from this shot you get the idea without actually having to see the accident itself.
After finishing and uploading our preliminary task, and after viewing it over and over I have found some parts which I think we could change as a group if it ever came to re-filming the preliminary again. For example; because our genre for the short clip we made was surrounding horror/thriller, the colours should be cold and bleak. However, because we didn’t think about this aspect as much as we could have, the colours in the final preliminary clip were warm, orange and yellow colours. To fix this problem, we could have filmed the videos on a higher quality movie camera during production or we could have changed the colour balance during editing.
Another point I would make about our final outcome is that the dialogue the audience should hear is quite muffled and hard to understand. To improve this at a later date or if we carried this task out again, is that our group would ensure we had better sound equipment or at least made sure that the speech was a lot clearer.
In conclusion, I think my group did really well working together swiftly to create this, especially with each one of us using our planning/producing and editing skills to ensure our preliminary video was of good quality and was the best that we could achieve during the time we were given to create it and in the criteria that we were also given.
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This is the script our group worked together to produce. We found that looking at real scripts used for big films was a great way to understand how to set ours out. By producing a script like this, it helped us to know where each character was positioned and what they should say at which point. We also used the script to know what kind of lighting to use to intensify the mood of our preliminary task and what music to use. We also used the script to understand what camera postions needed to be used. Overall, I think the script our group produced was of good quality and it is easy to understand.
This is the storyboard my group and I followed to produce our preliminary task. We used this storyboard to draw the sequence in which each shot would follow and it helped our group as a whole to visualise the ways in which we would create our preliminary video. By using the storyboard, we could easily set out the frames, angles and think about editing the preliminary material before we had even started filming it as we had an accurate guide to follow. Also, by using this as a template for our final outcome, we could easily write the length of each shot and how long each frame would be on screen. As a group we could also use this way of planning as a guide to know where to add diegetic and non-diegetic sound and dialogue. By following this method of planning, our group came out with a good quality preliminary piece.
