Tuesday, 29 December 2015
Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Production Company Logo Plan
This is a plan for one possible logo we could use for our production company. In this plan the production company is called Greenlit Studios which sounds quite indie so reflects the independent film we will be producing the opening of. We plan to have it on a black background which will reflect the genre of our film as a stereotypical idea created by thrillers and horrors is that the dark/nighttime is dangerous and bad and things will attack you.
The animation will be that a glowing light travels around the circle and then lights up the flame which seems like something approaching from the dark which reflects the creepy nature of the thriller film.
The green colour of the logo links to the name and also is generally quite a creepy colour connoting dark forests and witches so links to the genre of our film.
Furthermore, lanterns are quite old-fashioned and an old looking mise-en-scene is a common conventions of horrors and thrillers.
Monday, 14 December 2015
Sunday, 13 December 2015
Sunday, 6 December 2015
Opening Sequence Analysis: 'Legally Blonde'
In the opening to 'Legally Blonde', the audience is introduced to the protagonist Elle Woods and what kind of life she leads; she is wealthy, popular, and clearly of high importance in her social group as we see the other characters pandering to her needs. The setting is also established and questions are raised such as what is in the letter, why she is so popular and what she is getting ready for; all of which makes the audience want to watch on, formed through the use of various technical aspects.
Camerawork:
The first shot is a close up of a letter which immediately draws attention to it and lets the audience know that this as well as the character it is addressed to will be of high importance throughout the film.
Throughout the opening sequence close ups and extreme close-up of various parts of a woman's body, like her hair, hands, and feet, are shown, but never her whole self of her face. This creates the idea that she is someone very important as prestigious as an image of her has to be built up, and an air of mystery surrounds her.
Point of view shots from the character on the bike is used which provides the audience with a unique insight into the film world from the perspective of one of the student's at the university, which makes them feel more involved rather than just like an outsider looking in.
A long shot of a sign reading 'Delta Nu - Private Drive' is used as an establishing shot to show that the setting is quite exclusive and posh, and the pink hints at the fact that it is a sorority due to the gender stereotyping of the colour.
Inside the house an aerial shot is used to show off the size and the full extravagance of it, to convey to the audience that the girls living here are fairly wealthy and perhaps materialistic.
Editing:
Cross-cutting between following the card and Elle getting ready occurs throughout the opening sequence which creates a link between them and lets the audience know they are happening at the same time. An action match on the card sliding under the door is used to further highlight its importance. When we are following the card through the house, slow motion is used in contrast with sped up sections which creates a sense of the wild and exciting lives the girls in the sorority lead. Furthemore, jump cuts are used between shots of the girl carrying Elle's card which adds to this and also creates suspense as she carries it closer and close to Elle.
Mise-en-scene:
The film opens with the frame completely filled with blonde hair, echoing the film's title and pushing the idea that first and foremost her hair colour is what defines the character of Elle, something created deliberately to set the scene for the theme of the film about challenging preconceived stereotypes of blonde women.
High-key and natural lighting is used throughout the sequence to create a light-hearted, happy atmosphere and a scene that looks natural and inviting to the audience.
The colour pink is used repeatedly in the opening sequence in almost every shot, this shows that it is Elle's favourite colour and is a stereotypically "girly" colour so sets up a preconceived idea of what she is like for the audience.
The text for the credits is also pink, and white, which connotes both femininity and innocence/purity. They are reminiscent of candy which conveys the idea that Elle is quite sugary sweet and possibly fake.
Props such as Elle's hairbrush, nail polish, and mirror reveal she information about her including a) she is a stereotypical, fashion and beauty-obsessed girl, and b) she is the president of the Delta Nu Sorority, showing she must be popular and well-known among the other girls.
Sound:
Throughout the opening the non-diegetic sound of a song entitled 'Perfect Day' can be heard; the fact that it is very upbeat combined with the lyrics reflect Elle's own "perfect" life, however the lyric 'don't you try to rain on my / perfect day' could be foreshadowing the fact what is to come in the story when Elle's boyfriend dumps her. Therefore a sense of mystery is created as the audience question whether her 'perfect day' will remain so. Dialogue between Elle and the person she is talking to on the phone show she is interested in typically feminine activities like shopping, reinforcing the stereotyped idea the audience is forming of her. Ambient sound is also used, mainly crowds and people talking, which helps to immerse the audience in the film world and make them feel more included into it.
Camerawork:
Throughout the opening sequence close ups and extreme close-up of various parts of a woman's body, like her hair, hands, and feet, are shown, but never her whole self of her face. This creates the idea that she is someone very important as prestigious as an image of her has to be built up, and an air of mystery surrounds her. 
Point of view shots from the character on the bike is used which provides the audience with a unique insight into the film world from the perspective of one of the student's at the university, which makes them feel more involved rather than just like an outsider looking in.
A long shot of a sign reading 'Delta Nu - Private Drive' is used as an establishing shot to show that the setting is quite exclusive and posh, and the pink hints at the fact that it is a sorority due to the gender stereotyping of the colour.
Inside the house an aerial shot is used to show off the size and the full extravagance of it, to convey to the audience that the girls living here are fairly wealthy and perhaps materialistic.Editing:
Cross-cutting between following the card and Elle getting ready occurs throughout the opening sequence which creates a link between them and lets the audience know they are happening at the same time. An action match on the card sliding under the door is used to further highlight its importance. When we are following the card through the house, slow motion is used in contrast with sped up sections which creates a sense of the wild and exciting lives the girls in the sorority lead. Furthemore, jump cuts are used between shots of the girl carrying Elle's card which adds to this and also creates suspense as she carries it closer and close to Elle.
Mise-en-scene:
The film opens with the frame completely filled with blonde hair, echoing the film's title and pushing the idea that first and foremost her hair colour is what defines the character of Elle, something created deliberately to set the scene for the theme of the film about challenging preconceived stereotypes of blonde women.
High-key and natural lighting is used throughout the sequence to create a light-hearted, happy atmosphere and a scene that looks natural and inviting to the audience.
Sound:
Throughout the opening the non-diegetic sound of a song entitled 'Perfect Day' can be heard; the fact that it is very upbeat combined with the lyrics reflect Elle's own "perfect" life, however the lyric 'don't you try to rain on my / perfect day' could be foreshadowing the fact what is to come in the story when Elle's boyfriend dumps her. Therefore a sense of mystery is created as the audience question whether her 'perfect day' will remain so. Dialogue between Elle and the person she is talking to on the phone show she is interested in typically feminine activities like shopping, reinforcing the stereotyped idea the audience is forming of her. Ambient sound is also used, mainly crowds and people talking, which helps to immerse the audience in the film world and make them feel more included into it.
Thursday, 3 December 2015
Wednesday, 2 December 2015
Tuesday, 1 December 2015
What is an Opening Sequence?
Conventions of an opening sequence include continuity editing, a specific order of titles, and introduction to the characters, settings and events. It is a highly important part of a film as it introduces the audience to the themes, main characters, and time and place of the setting and establishes the genre, and makes the audience become invested in the film world, making them want to watch on. This is the primary function of a film's opening sequence.
For example, in the opening to 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' questions are posed through a voiceover by the protagonist that make the audience want to find out more about him, like:
- who is he writing to?
- why has he so much spent time in a hospital?
- why has he not spoken to anyone outside his family all summer?
This is an effective opening as it doesn't give too much away, beginning with the credits and a shot of driving at night time that cuts to a scene of a boy sat in his bedroom and at first the two seem unrelated. After, it cuts to various scenes throughout his first day at high school, still narrated by his voiceover. Atypically, this opening uses montage editing but it still meets the purpose of an opening sequence as it introduces the audience to what type of person the main character is and to his situation which sets up the basis for the rest of the film, and makes them want to watch on.
An example of a more conventional opening sequence is that of 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' in which the audience is introduced to the setting, via an establishing shot, and what type of person the protagonist, Ferris, is - i.e, the type who tricks his parents into thinking he's ill so he can skip school. The credits show over shots of a conversation between him and his parents in which they decide he isn't going to school, which sets the scene for the rest of the film as the narrative which proceeds follows his adventures that result from bunking off school. Continuous editing is used throughout, for example the 180 degree rule during Ferris' conversation with his parents. This opening is effective as it poses questions like:
- why does he skip school?
- what is he going to do on his day off?
This makes the audience want to watch further to find out what happens next, so is a successful opening sequence.
The opening sequence to 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' is also a good example of an effective opening sequence as it begins with the credits and a voiceover helps introduce the audience to the setting of the film, then continuous editing of the town singing the opening song follows. This opening introduces us to every character, as opposed to the other openings I have looked at where only the protagonist is shown, this is effective as some characters are introduced very explicitly through the song lyrics such as 'I am the one hiding under your bed' whereas some are shown briefly and with an air of mystery about them, for example Sally. This poses questions about who she is, and makes the audience want to find out more. Furthermore, introducing them to all of the characters completely immerses them in the world of the film, which is the job of an opening sequence.
For example, in the opening to 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' questions are posed through a voiceover by the protagonist that make the audience want to find out more about him, like:
- who is he writing to?
- why has he so much spent time in a hospital?
- why has he not spoken to anyone outside his family all summer?
This is an effective opening as it doesn't give too much away, beginning with the credits and a shot of driving at night time that cuts to a scene of a boy sat in his bedroom and at first the two seem unrelated. After, it cuts to various scenes throughout his first day at high school, still narrated by his voiceover. Atypically, this opening uses montage editing but it still meets the purpose of an opening sequence as it introduces the audience to what type of person the main character is and to his situation which sets up the basis for the rest of the film, and makes them want to watch on.
An example of a more conventional opening sequence is that of 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' in which the audience is introduced to the setting, via an establishing shot, and what type of person the protagonist, Ferris, is - i.e, the type who tricks his parents into thinking he's ill so he can skip school. The credits show over shots of a conversation between him and his parents in which they decide he isn't going to school, which sets the scene for the rest of the film as the narrative which proceeds follows his adventures that result from bunking off school. Continuous editing is used throughout, for example the 180 degree rule during Ferris' conversation with his parents. This opening is effective as it poses questions like:
- why does he skip school?
- what is he going to do on his day off?
This makes the audience want to watch further to find out what happens next, so is a successful opening sequence.
The opening sequence to 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' is also a good example of an effective opening sequence as it begins with the credits and a voiceover helps introduce the audience to the setting of the film, then continuous editing of the town singing the opening song follows. This opening introduces us to every character, as opposed to the other openings I have looked at where only the protagonist is shown, this is effective as some characters are introduced very explicitly through the song lyrics such as 'I am the one hiding under your bed' whereas some are shown briefly and with an air of mystery about them, for example Sally. This poses questions about who she is, and makes the audience want to find out more. Furthermore, introducing them to all of the characters completely immerses them in the world of the film, which is the job of an opening sequence.
The Brief
Our brief is to research, plan, create and evaluate the opening sequence and titles to a new fiction film that lasts no longer than 2 minutes.
Preliminary Project
For our preliminary project, we created a short film revolving around a dialogue between two characters with a focus on continuity editing. As part of this we had to include a match on action where a character walked through a door, shot reverse shot, and adherence to the 180 degree rule during the characters' conversation. The shots and camerawork we used included a pan, mid shot, long shot, two shots, over-the-shoulder shots, a tilt and a tracking shot.
WWW: - we used continuous editing well so the cuts were mostly "invisible", especially the matches on action were smooth and flowed well
- we experimented with transitions including a dissolve and a blackout at the beginning and end of the sequence
- we selected music in the background so both the diegetic and non-diegetic sound reflected the mood of the narrative
EBI: - when filming the conversation, we should have kept the camera on one side for all of the same character's lines so each shot of them had identical compositions
- we could develop use of the 180 degree rule by breaking it, but only when the movement to the other side is shown
- we could use a wider range of camera shots
Introduction
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