Our Wilderness Woods Production:

Group Wilderness Woods Recce Evalution

• The wilderness recce gave us all an insight into about how to approach the filming of our opening.
• First key area we must manage is our time management of when doing certain shots, some of the time we over thinked the shots and spent too long on them others we didn't and prove to be quiet rushed for example cutting to early.
• When preparing whats need to be done and how it will be laid out, we should make sure that we keep with continuity in order to create sense of continuous action, however not to go overboard and do to many shots to show every movement and not to go to the other extreme and to go to fast through the story and get no sense of what is happening.
• The other problem we found with continuity is that making sure when filming keep the right positions and same way in which dressed as in our practice recce showed that Cameron had forgot to keep his hood up thus breaking the continuity however over flaus such as direction and placing of when I was running.
• Overall the recce was a valuable task and also upon the editting of the clip helped us to gain knowledge and understanding of how to use the equipment and how to use it effectively.

CF feedback - product research/ideas dvpt

Well done - you are working very effectively as a group and your research is well chosen and in some parts thorough and reflective. The film opening analyses were excellent. However, in order to secure a L4, you will need to make the following changes:

1. All 3 technical analysis are not detailed enough - look at some of the other groups' work
2. Cameron - you must use ICT more effectively in your posts - use images, highlight key terms. When presenting the treatment and shot ideas you need to think about layout of posts
3. Ensure that all your ideas on location, costume, narrative are clearly documented

Sam - prezi doesn't load?

Concept Development

SH: Institutional Context

Production
If our opening sequence were to be developed and made into a film, it would most likely be produced by a conglomerate and therefore be an industrial film. This is because the film is a thriller, which are produced mainly by large studios and independent film companies may struggle to gather enough finance for a film belonging to the thriller genre, as actions scenes are used and many conventional props and locations, such as police stations and weapons, may be expensive.

Distribution
The film would be distributed through a company owned or co-owned by the production company as they may be run by a conglomerate. It would most likely be on wide release to achieve maximum sales across the market, and would be marketed using posters, trailers on the TV and the Internet, and other viral marketing methods such as advertising on Facebook.

Exhibition
The film may be exhibited by companies owned or co-owned by a conglomerate, for example the Odean cinema chain is owned by Vivendi Universal, which may be beneficial to the film as it can take priorities in the cinema by having prime time slots and being advertised. The film would not be a tentpole however, as it would not appeal to the four quadrants, but would still be a mainstream film which will still appeal to a large audience; 15-24 age group as it contains some action and violence, and also 25-34, 35-44, 45-54 age groups as well as it is enigmatic and audiences will be intrigued to find out what happens.

Technical Issues with cameras

When we capture footage with the cameras and edit the footage, the camera and editing software must have the same settings, so that the footage can be edited correctly. The settings on the camera are 1140 x 1080, which makes them 1080i HD cameras. The frame rate is also 25 frames per seconds, so the editing software must be set to these same settings.

Technical Analysis: Memento: Christopher Nolan, 2000:

Memento: Christopher Nolan, 2000:

• I have learnt that even in openings when not much happens there are many cuts which show the audience each piece of mise-en-scene and gives ideas into the audiences thoughts of what has happened, why it has happened and when it happened.
• Also the different angles of shots gives the audience different reactions towards certain characters, by having a birds-eye view of the dead man there is no emotional connection with the body and feel no sympathy for this person. But by having a low angle looking up at the man in the suit makes the audience respect him and view his power and control over the situation.
• The quickening of the cutting rate also makes the audience feel tension and anxiety as something is about to happen or be revealed which is enigmatic for the audience and keeps them interested in your opening and thus your entire film too.

Technical Analysis: Suspect Zero

• For the technical analysis, I analysed 'Suspect Zero' in which there were around 17 shots. I believe this is quite short for an opening sequence, and this may be due to the title sequence showing the titles for quite a long period of time.



• I think we should not spend too long showing the title, actors and crew members of the film as this will limit the time we will have to show our enigmatic opening.



• We could also incorporate the titles into the action, rather than having the title sequence and the action completely seperate.

AT Technical Analysis

Law Abiding Citizen(Gary Gray,2009)


Shot 1: Shows a girl making a braclet, use of a CU to show the name on the braclet and what she is doing, with a POV shot to reveal the braclet and get an insight into the characters view point and use of iconography of the braclet which not expected in the genre of a thriller, use of props being the beads and braclets connotes child environment.


Shot 2: Shows her father talking to her about what she is doing. We do not see him however a CU of the machine he is working at is shown and the use of a sound bridge to make out he is talking to her and they are in conversation. Machinery often linked with males as being rugged job however he is doing a precise job but still stereotype of males fixing things or working.


Shot 3: Cuts to the father talking MCU. Doesnt apear to be doing strenuious work and wearing relaxed casual clothing.


Shot 4: Conversation between the father and daughter her talking about what she is making a POV shot used to see his eyeline looking down on her. Props use of table show her sitting up at the table working.

Shot 6 -13: Conversation continuing with introduction of the mother in shot 7 with use of sound bridge almost as if she is calling out to the father to get him to answer the door.


Shot 14: Father walks over to the door to answer it, use of stedi-cam following him effect. Nice middle class house due to quiet fancy and neat good lighting throughout house.


Shot 15-19: Father is hit with a baseball bat and is beaten up by one man while the other enters and turns of the lights and then seals the mans hands with varying shot sizes from mid shots to CU of the mans hands and facial expresions. Both attackers wearing rugged clothing and have a rough apearence especialy main antagonist.
Shot 20 -21: Shows the mother entering the hallway of where he is being beaten, shot goes from a mid shot to a MCU to get her reactions more. The use of the reaction shot as we hear the scream before we see her.

Shot 22: Shows the mans legs running over to the women with use of stedi-cam to make it feel like a head turn. However it is a quick swish pan to help create the speed of it.


Shot 23: Reaction shot shows what the women was looking at her husband on the floor tied up and trying to free himself.


Shot 24-28: Cutting rate picks up as women is thrown into a cabinet followed by the masking up of the mans lips to keep him quiet all in MCU of the man to show him strugle and show his positioned where as the women is shot in a mid shot.

Shot 29: We get a CU of the attackers face and of the knife in his hand showing the iconography and symbolism that the knife represents especisaly in this genre. Antagonist talks however doesn't seem to lead to anything and we don't seem to get any clues as to why leaving mystery.


Shot 30: He is stabbed with use of the sound to dramatise the knife going into his body. Also frammed in the shot is his face to show his reaction to the build of before getting stabbed then as he is stabbed.


Shot 31: Then the blood is wiped on his jumper all in a MCU. Seen as more of a robery but also an assult.


Shot 32: The two men pack up to leave and it fades to black connoting his eyes clossing also the slow fade connotes how quickly it has happend and the slow fade gives time to reflect on the opening seqeunce.
Review:

• Overall from the technical analysis I undertook, helped me to get an understanding of the variety of shots used and how these can be interlinked
• How character exposition is key in this opening, and is something we should think about when doing our opening.
  
  

AT Analysing an opening sequence: Genre, Film Language, Narrative

Watchmen(Zach Synder, 2009)

Genre

• The genre of the film watchmen is a thriller and the sub genres of the film are: action, sci-fi, mystery.
  
• The generic expectations of this film are fulfilled as it has the thriller element of why is this happening? Then with the action of the fight scene, expansion of time to create dramatic effect. Sci-fi with the in-human fighting abilities and strength to throw a fully grown man across the room with ease, however later on in the film we get the full sci-fi generic expectations with a spaceship and as we are introduced to the other characters. And finally we get the mystery of who is this man who has just come in and killed this man? Why is he killing him? What has the other man done? Why does he want this man dead? Many of questions linked with the mystery sub genre.
  
• The text does conform the characteristics of the genre and sub genre's however later on in the film the characteristics of the genre and sub genre's are more playful and ironic, especially within the sci-fi sub genre it is portrayed in the classic sci-fi way in order to connect the audience more however comes of as being ironic and playful with the sci-fi characteristics.

Film Language

• The whole opening sequence is set in the "Comedian's" apartment and seems to have a dull and blue colourwash the meaning conveyed by this colourwash is to help create a sense of the time of day in this case representing night time when it could of been shot durring the day. The room is not lit very well and therefore helps to convey the sub genre of mystery also reinforced when we see the shadow upon the floor. The setting helps to convey the main genre of a thriller as it is a idealistic place to hold a fight where some one breaks in adding the mystery of why the man breaks in and what his motives are for killing him.
  
• There was a variety of camera techniques to help convey different meanings within the text. The first being the use of a MCU of one of the main characters right at the start at the movie establishes who we are positioned with identifying which side we are with and in this case we follow the protagonist. Then the use of a slow track in on the TV screen of which he is watching shows that he is focused in on the TV showing his interests. Use of a high angle on the man in his dressing gown which is followed by a CU to show his facial expression's, however he appears to not be fazed by the other mans appearance also reinforcing the protagonist stereotype of fears nothing.
  
• The music in the background is in such a contrast with the opening scene as it is relaxed and slow whereas the fight is quite quick and is over within a minute. This helps to notice what has happened him sitting alone watching TV then someone breaks in and kills him represents the irony of it all. Selective sound used on the punches and smashing to reinforce the sub genre of action also to help us identify what our main focus is with it competing with the music of the song.
  
• We don't learn much about the characters through the dialogue as there is only little amount of it. Also the non verbal language of the characters doesn't tell us much about them as both stand in dominating positions and from their facial expression show that this is just a normal fight to them.
  
• The director uses allot of expansion of time this does help to dramatise the text by slowing down key punches or key elements to make them more visually attractive. Another visual technique used is the props, most being expensive breakable items which make it seem more intense fight.

Narrative

• The narrative is organised in an asynchronous way starting at the middle and then during the film flashes back then continues from the very beginning to the very end.
  
• The audience are positioned with the protagonist therefore we get the view of the archetypal hero.
  
• The major theme in the narrative is that some man has killed this other man for some reason and this will lead to this investigation being carried out in the film giving us an opening.
  
• Tension is created and built by the use of the minor key music playing leading us to a false sense of security then as we see the use of a stedi-cam walking towards his apartment slowly builds tension, then the cut to his face to glare down at the shadow upon the floor by the door then the slow motion break in and other uses of expansion of time to make the action last longer and make it more significant and this within juxta position with the normal tempo of the clip maintains the tension.
  

Generic Conventions of Thriller: Presentation:

AS Media Group 11

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CM Analysing an opening sequence: Representation and Ideology, Media Audience, Institutional Context

Fight Club: David Fincher: 1999

Representation and Ideology:

• The social groups represented in the opening sequence are both middle and working class, the two classes are represented via their clothing, with the middle class man wearing a shirt and jacket and the working class man (Brad Pitt) wearing a coloured tank top and denim jeans holding a gun. This represents the lack of funding to be able to afford nicer more presentable clothing, as apposed to the middle class man.
• The values and beliefs upheld in this opening are the stereotypical view of males with cuts down their faces, most likely due to violence which is a male trait and also the weapon of a gun being held in the man's mouth which suggests again violence. This is regressive towards the male gender as is stereotyping them as violent and not reasonable.
• The characteristics of a thriller are that the opening is enigmatic in order to capture the audiences attention. In the fight club opening which is a film aimed at a male audience it begins with starting at a cell in the body and the camera back tracking through and out of the body and then seeing a gun within a persons mouth. Instantly there are questions of why is this happening, who are these people, and why are they injured (cuts down their faces) this attracts the male audience due to the fact is macho.

Media Audiences:

• The target audience of "Fightclub" are men between the ages of 18-26, this is a large audience that enjoy watching thriller films that are based around male interests. Thus "Fightclub" will be able to connect easily with that target audience and the pitch when it was trying to get green lighted had a target audience identified that they knew got seats in the cinema.
•  The probable audience reading of the text is that a man is being held hostage with a gun held in his mouth and is in a deadly situation. However the possible reading is that these two characters are friends and have had a slight falling out due to the fact that the gun gets taken out of his mouth and that you hear narrate "I can't think of anything" in a mocking tone of voice suggesting that they have a connection that will be discovered during the film and that it is also the end of the film as the audience would want to know how they know each other.
• As a British Teenager, who is sixteen, male and from a middle class background read this media text in its possible reading. As I have evaluated the situation and enjoy trying to work out what could be happening underneath the surface of the film, thus I don't accept the probable reading. Due to my age I can be naive to watching eighteen certificate films and may not understand if I am supposed to take a probable or the possible reading. Also as I am male, I enjoy watching films to be entertained and occasionally enjoy just taking the probable reading as want to just consume what I am being presented with, without giving any thought to what could be happening or about to happen.

Institutional Context:

• A star has been used in this film Brad Pitt one of the lead roles of Tyler Durden. This is important as he is a big actor and will have a huge fan base which will attract people outside of the target audience to come and view this film due to wanting to follow Brad Pitts work.
• 20th Century Fox produced this film in 1999, this makes the film industrial as a big conglomerate has funded the production being able to get bankable stars and a good director to create the film.
• The film had trouble marketing as the studio didn't know how to attract the audience they where hoping for as they weren't too sure whether the film was an industrial film or an art house film. In the end the studio gave an investment of $20 million to fund a large-scale campaign to provide a press junket, posters, billboards, and trailers for TV that highlighted the film's fight scenes. The studio advertised "Fightclub" on cable during World Wrestling Federation broadcasts, which Fincher protested, believing that the placement created the wrong context for the film.
• The opening does have very evident institutional context mainly by having the two stars of Brad Pitt and Edward Norton immediately shown which are expensive actors that independent film producers wouldn't have been able to afford. 

CM: Opening Sequence:

Starts with Close up shots of a pair of black gloves, then cutting to a black hoody, cutting to a black balaclava and finally cutting to a knife. Then has a bird's-eye view of all the items on a desk and with jump cuts each item disappears consecutively and underneath where that item was appears our names as credits. Then the man wearing the black gloves picks up a photo and the camera looks into it and retracts out of it to a journalist working late at night in a dark office with the only light source a desk lamp and computer monitor. Then the screen goes black as is a extreme close up on the man with the black hoody's back and as he walks away from the camera light appears gradually around the outside growing inwards, then he walks up silently behind the journalist and stabs him to death. Then wipes the blade clean of blood and lobs the tissue in the bin and walks away. A pool of blood drips down and creates the title of the film. Then there is a fast rewind through the whole event and screen goes black with some more credits in white colour and a loud reverberating drum beat, which is simultaneous to a pair of eyes opening fast, this ending the opening sequence with just the white of the eyes visible from a bird's-eye view.

CM: Treatment for our Production:

A Thriller-Horror involving a revenge driven psychopath trying to make the world pay for the death of his brother, by killing lawyers, judges and journalists. Due to the fact that his brothers murderer wasn't sentenced and that the journalist reporting the court case was supporting the decision, and so takes his revenge by killing their loved ones to make the people he is trying to hurt feel the pain he felt. The Pyschopath murders leaving clues for the detective each time. Eventually the Detective closes down on the killer at the last murder but is unfortunately too late to save the victim and arrests the killer. At the police station explains that the psychopath killed his own brother during his childhood, and admits the killer to an insane asylum. This means that his brothers killer is never sentenced. Also whilst at the police station the killer confesses that he wanted to be caught but was not sure why exactly why, but he always had a feeling of guilt about killing the people he did. Once the police officer explains the situation to the killer, the Psychopath realises it is the truth and understands his guilt, and willing goes to the insane asylum for life.