Photo Workshop

We carried out a photo workshop to test out lighting and shots that we could possibly use for our ancillary tasks.


Before the workshop
Before the workshop we had an idea of how we wished our shots and images to be but didn't really know how we would carry these out in order to get the results we had in mind,


After the workshop
After the workshop I now know that the use of a solid colour background, in our case black, this makes it easier to edit when it comes to editing, this makes it easier to extract the image from the background if this is needed.
Also using a reflected light rather than a key light straight onto the person or object is what we need to think about using as it is not as harsh and makes the photo fit in with the noir theme we are hoping to achieve.
The use of multiple light points is another thing we are going to use when conducting our photo shoot for our ancillary tasks as this give an image more depth through shadows, this defines the image better and makes it easier on the eye.

These are some of the images we produced at the workshop, from the beginning to the end in chronological order.

  To begin with we composed a mid shot, we found the image was too dark although the use of shadows were not too bad and wanted this kind of effect.

The second image we took we changed to a close up as this is the kind of shot we wish to use on our poster, we attempted to brighten up the image using the ISO, We made the film speed higher from 800 to 320, we saw that this was too bright and eliminated the facial features.

 The aim of the third shot was to have the image darker so we brought the LED light in which we were using to create shadow further away from the subject this did help but the image was still too bright and was not what we intended.

The fourth image is clearer and lighting was getting better. This enables all of the subjects features to be shown and created shadow on background. Although the background was too focused and too bright this will make it harder in the editing stage to extract the image from the background.











Finally at the end of the shoot we managed to gain a shadow effect on the face.

Costume and Casting Ideas

Looking into costume I have decided that because we have decided on a neo-noir that the costume should be modern day outfits, this makes it less complicated to produce as the costume will be normal 2013 day clothing.
The use of black clothing will link with he noir and darkness theme, Anna will also be wearing a black leather jacket over this.



Daniel will be wearing a modern day men's outfit of jeans and a top. This is bringing in the simplistic nature, but the clothing will be dark this could connote he has the dark secret.

Location shots for Trailer

Looking into the planning we have already constructed, I feel it's time to identify some location and shots ideas, so we can have the plans of what we need to film in certain locations.

This is the bedroom that 'Anna' will wake up in after the accident, before she sees Daniel this will be the first shot after the accident and it will show her confused and this is the angle 'Daniel' will be watching her from as this is taken from the doorframe looking into the room.

We need a dark location, which will be outside in an urban area, preferably with street lights to coincide with the film noir genre we are trying to create.

This is a shot I took from my front door, this is not what we would be using but I would like to get shots, like this, of an empty street, in the dark, with the streetlight shining to light up the image.

We will use this room, the living room when Daniel is on the phone, this is downstairs as he thinks that Anna is upstairs confused about what is going on, he will be in here to prevent her hearing his conversation.

This is the kitchen and the door that Anna will leave out of when she goes out in the car in the first 10 seconds of the trailer.

Improvement

 

 

 To improve upon my EBI I went on to doing some more in depth research on movie posters focusing mainly on my target audience. I also retraced my steps to all of the ancillary task that we have both done and see if we had icluded enough points on our target audience.

Ancillary Tasks Feedback

I gained this feedback from a potential target audience. It was based on the research I have done on my ancillary task, the magazines and the posters.

The yellow stickys notes, are to show the 'what went well' feedback. Which i will record and will take in as to continuing with the comments.

The blue sticky notes show the 'Even Better If' feedback, which gives opinions on what the audience think of the research and ideas at current, and what they think I should do to improve the presentation and research on the blog.

On the green sticky notes I have responded to the 'Even Better If' feedback and have explained what I am going to do to improve the work which is on the blog and what I can add to the blog, in terms of adding more research on a wider range of magazines and audiences, also which I would take inspiration from and which I wouldnt, and the reasons behind these.

More In Depth Anaylsis on Film Magazines

These magazines below have been deconstructed to show the conventions and the things that we will need to include in our magazine too.
If you click on the images they will transfer you to flickr in order to see the notes that I have made.

Trailer Workshop

All of the year 13 media students including myself and Sophie attended a trailer workshop in a large studio in newcastle. During our time there, we were split into two groups of about 6 or 7 and given a script to turn into a trailer. This was actually how Sophie and I learned how to set out our transcript and why our revised script looks much more professional than any of the other past plots that we did for ours. Also we were shown exactly how to use the cameras and tripods which also came in handy when going on to do our own shooting of our material, the use of different lighting, positioning, the quirky camera angles, the movement etc. It was up to use to chose the different setting for every shot, the costumes and the props in a limited amount of time and so this not only taught us how to source our own material but the time efficiency of the situation. Lastly and most importantly the editing, when we went to this workshop we used iMac desktops with Final Cut Pro which the editors in the group (Me being one) had a tutorial on how to work it and the basic hints and tips on putting the trailer together. To conclude, by going to this workshop we did learn a lot which we were then able to import into our work to, in order to give our trailer a little bit of professionalism.

Further Poster Ideas

We collected a focus group together and projected our initial posted ideas to them gaining some constructive verbal feedback which enabled us to collect together these further ideas.

 

 

The smashing between the couple, which is to be edited in using a image of glass, to connote separation, which has broken the couple. We have decided to keep the 'People Change, Memories Dont' tag line as we think it still works well with the storyline of the film.

 

We changed the tag line on this one as another idea, to 'When you can't see the secrets', this also links with the storyline of the secrets being hidden throughout, on behalf of both characters. The image of the female blindfolded connotes that she is blind to the truth. We have kept the image of the car lights because this is the trigger event which sets off the story at the beginning of the trailer which causes both lives to change, therefore I thought it was necessary to include.

Magazine Research

I have started to research some existing film magazines, so we can relate to them when we are creating our own film magazine for one of our tasks.

I have looked at "EMPIRE" magazine as it is a very popular one and is a good seller, this would be good for us to take ideas from so we can create a similar layout when using our own images and text for our magazine to advertise 'The Recollection'. 

Revised Transcript and Storyboard

We have now had more time to go into detail on what exactly the storyline will entail and too add more to the story, which will therefore mean we have more shots to choice from when editing the footage we take.

INT. PHOTO FRAMES - HOME - NIGHT

Smiling faces, arms round each other, happy!



INT. DOOR - HOME - NIGHT

Panning shot of the door shutting

Anna

I'm going out!



INT. DOOR - HOME - NIGHT

Door slams shut



INT. CAR - NIGHT

Anna gets in the car

(Over Shoulder shot) Picks up the file and opens it to information and a picture on Daniel



INT. CAR - NIGHT

Anna closes the file, throws it down, and reaches for the keys

INTER TITLE

CAN BE DANGEROUS

INT. CAR - NIGHT

Driving, city lights



BLACK SCREEN

SFX: Crash



EXT. ROAD - NIGHT

Anna laying on road

CU - Anna's face/shadow falls over her face

(Pan over to over shoulder shot to reveal silhouette in headlights)



FADE TO BLACK

SILENCE



FADE UP FROM BLACK

Lights flickering



INT. HOME (BEDROOM) - DAY

(POV shot) of the ceiling

Pan to bedside table and photo frame

Montage of shots walking around the room and picking up objects



INT. HOME (LIVING ROOM) - DAY

Cutaway to in doorway watching (POV of Anna watching Daniel)

INTER TITLE

EVERYONE'S LYING

INT. HOME (LIVING ROOM) - DAY

(Mid-Shot) Male on the sofa on the phone (framed by the door frame)



INT. HOME (LIVING ROOM) - DAY

(CU shot) of Daniel talking

Daniel

No... She doesn't remember anything. ... No, i'm sure!

INT. HOME (CORRIDOR) - DAY

Zoom out to reveal Anna in the doorway.



INT. HOME (ALL ROOMS) - DAY

Multiple - (CU shots) hands on cupboard doors

Drawers opening. Hand sorting around drawers.

File is taped underneath the table.

Cutaway (CU) of folder in her hands

INTER TITLE

AND BURYING SECRETS

EXT. OUTSIDE (FIELD, GARDEN?) - DAY

(CU shot) of shovelling earth into hole



EXT. OUTSIDE (FIELD, GARDEN?) - DAY

(POV shot) - Earth coming the hole

Considered Props

Photoshop Poster Draft

VoxPop - Feedback on initial poster ideas

Once our poster mock ups were complete, we then put them on display for our class in order to get some constructive criticism. We wanted to know what they thought worked well on the trailer and what needed to be changed before it went onto photoshop.

In my opinion the feedback that we got given back was quite helpful however we did go onto to collect more, as we thought before putting it on photoshop we should get as many improvements as possible.

Plot Twist

We have decided that during our development of the story board, we are going to have a character stereotype subvertion. Our female lead is going to be the dominatant character in the storyline however still appear in the film for the male gaze to appeal to the wider audience for our film as we have discovered during our research is commonly used in the modern day film industry. Our story plot is going to be that our female chacacter is going to have a source where she has discovered his what exactly is in his past. When she is coinsidentally in a crash (that has to do with him), she pretends to lose her memeory to find out more. While trying his best to make her remember her past, his is comes a knocking.

Film Poster Mock Up - Idea.

I used the idea of the car being shown in the bottom to show the car crash that was to happen, which triggers the plot. The reason for 'Anna' to be facing to the side is to hide away that she is tricking 'Daniel' into believing she has lost all of her memory, this shows a hidden side to her, literally, and creates the suspense that the audience look forward to. Another reason for 'Anna' to be turning away is as if she does not know the man, and is trying to keep clear, as he thinks he needs to help her to remember him. The power of the female is shown in this, that she has the power to stand aside and put her back to the male. The male, 'Daniel' is standing looking concerned although with a mysterious expression, this connotes that he is hiding something and doesn't want 'Anna' to know.

 

 

Analysis of Film Posters

I analysed this film poster of the "Butterfly Effect", from this I took ideas as to what i was going to use on my poster for my film, "The Recollection".

 

 

I also analysed the poster for "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", I have higlighted some key points of which I may take away from this poster, to add into my own.

 

 

Film Poster Deconstruction

I analysed these posters using flickr annotating them with notes on ideas and conventions used.
The pictures are hyperlinks to the site, so if clicked it will lead you to my work.