from Donna

Hi Girls

your blog seems up to date, but still feels very static with too much text and still imagery.
please add some talk to cameras and possibly put all your stills into some sort of moving image 'display'. This will produce a much more dynamic blog.

thanks

Donna

Favourite thriller subgenres

Despite the fact we already have statistics that show the most popular subgenres. I wanted to go out a ask a few people myself and the patterns remain true to the official statistics. Action thriller being the most popular.

What we would like to see in a film opening

As we are making a film opening of our own, we decided it would make sense to come up with a list that shows what we like in a filming opening and what would appeal to a wide audience.

• suspense through mise en scene, camera, editing and sound
• simplicity in the narrative 
• ambiguity 
• keeps the story line concealed until further into the film
• dramatic irony between characters
• different shot types 
• effective match cuts
• immersive atmosphere in the audience
• effective sounds
• establishing shots in the beginning

How our editing process went

What our task was

Our task was to edit, add titles and sound into our prelim. We used finalcut pro to lay down our footage onto the time line in order following our storyboard. We then included titles i.e. producers, distributors also the director. Once this had been done we imported our footage into soundtrack pro to lay on sound.

This shows how we used the image wireframe
to place our titles in correct positions

This is a screengrab of us converting our
prelim into an mpeg streamclip

This is our footage that we layed down using final cut pro

How the process went

The editing process of our prelim was enjoyable, however we faced difficulties which slowed down our editing process. We had different technical issues with the software's but they were sorted out eventually. The task gave us a true insight of how the process will be when we come to produce our final thriller opening. It really helped us familiarize ourselves more with the different software's. Despite the technical issues, we really enjoyed doing the task and I feel that we are now recognize the process of filming and editing

Evaluation of Prelim

Our Prelim Final Piece Including Titles

Filming Prelim

Here we are setting up the camera, ready to film the shots.

We set out the mise en scene and prepared the cast.

This is during the filming process.

Prelim storyboard

Here are some of the drawings we done for the story board. It includes the shot and some further description below. We did this process to ensure that when we came to film, we would know exactly what shots to do and this will make the filming process easier. 

It also gives me an insight of how a real production team will work. The idea that you have to plan a story board and follow it step by step through the filming stages. The story board is a key step in the production of a film opening. 

Planning the prelim

In today's lesson we began to plan our shots for the prelim. We story boarded the narrative and illustrated what shots we were going to use.

Editing process- Prelim

Our task was to edit, add titles and sound into our prelim. The images below show the process of each task. We went into final cut pro and loaded all the shots that we filmed and watched them over to figure out a correct order. We placed them in order in the timeline and we watched it through and planned where the opening titles were going to be placed. We included producers, distributors, the cast and the director. 

Using soundtrackpro

Once the titles were included, we added sounds in soundtrack pro. We searched for a sound that we found suitable and that we all agreed on, then placed it into our timeline.

We then converted our prelim into an mpeg streamclip

Practice - Evaluation

Difficulties we faced:

1. We didn't take enough correct shots to make match-cut edits
2. The first shot broke the conventions of the 180 degree rule
3. We didn't have our 3rd team member on the day

Things that went well:

1. Our storyboard made filming easier and faster. This is , because we were able to follow the storyboard shot for shot. 
2. Adding titles and framing gave us more practice and was fun to use
3. We were able to set up the camera on the tripod and alter the position for each shot easily.

Practice - Filming Process

Me & Katie setting up the camera

Katie practicing how to tilt and pan the camera.

Christabell Playing the role of the crime investigator

Our Actor Mohamed  who played the role of the antagonist
being interviewed.

The equipment we used during our shoot

This was how we set up the room for our scene.

Preliminary Match Cut Exercise

Preperation

We created a storyboard in the style of a crime,action thriller.  We made sure that 

we added match cuts e.g. midshot of someones hand opening the door and a close up of the hand opening the door. We added shot reverse shots of characters looking at each other. Lastly we made sure we didn't break the 180 degree rule. 

Our idea was around crime investigation and someone being interviewed.

This gave us the idea of our film being called Trial 26.

Planning

Storyboard

Animatic

page 1


page 2


page 3

Practice - Introduction to soundtrack

Editing Process

We exported out final project on to soundtrack

We opened it up the video in soundtrack pro

We searched for instruments and then dragged it into the
music timeline.

This is a screen grab of our music timeline.
We learnt that you had to click submix 1&2 before
exporting it into final cut pro.
This was so we get all the sound as one not as 5 different sub-mixes.

This is a screen grab of our saving process.
Before importing to finalcut pro

This is a screen grab of our soundtrack being imported into final cut pro

Final Product

Foley Sound Effects- Extra Blogging Task

Foley sound is added during post production in a film. It can include footsteps, the rustle of clothes,  doors closing ect. I watched a two minute documentary on this and found out that...

• Foley sound is used to help out dialogue that takes place most of the time.
• Before foley sound is started you need to think about what your film is about and what you envisioned for the sound.
• Movement of what is done in the real world such as putting a glass down and footsteps is replaced by the use of Foley sound.
• Foley sound brings together your footage and makes your piece become more naturalistic.

Re-recorded footsteps

Cloth is a new aspect of Foley sound. It is used to help out the 

dialogue

Research and Practice - Foley sound

In todays lesson, we were introduced to foley sounds.
We watched clips and recognized that within films, sounds are amplified to emphasis sound.
For example, whilst filming someone walking, you cannot catch the sound of footsteps perfectly. So the producers re-film that scene to get the correct amplified sound. This process is used to amplify several sounds that we hear in films.

We then watched our Arlington Road re-edited clip and then decided which sounds we were going to amplify.
We considered the foot steps, background noise, cars, breathing.

After our planning, we went out with the cameras and we filmed some sounds outside to get the correct atmosphere.

After 20 minutes of filming our sounds, we
imported it into final cut pro and we listened to the
sounds we recorded.

Not all the sounds made it into the final piece but
we did get sounds of footsteps that worked
extremely well with the visuals.

We dragged the sounds from the box down to the
timeline into the correct position and ensured it
suited the clip.

During this task, we struggled to film sounds accurately without having harsh noises in the background. We also struggled to make the sounds appear seamlessly throughout the piece as you could really hear the cuts between the scenes.

Overall, we found the task very interesting and we enjoyed it. We found it a challenge to film the sounds correctly so that it would actually fit the visuals, however it has helped us as we now recognize what we have to do for the final thriller opening, in terms of sound to make it a successful piece.