Question 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in progression from it to the full product?

Making the opening sequence for the movie Vanish was such an educational experience. I as the director learnt a lot from the planning and research up to this stage the evaluation.

During the research and planning we were assigned to analyse different horror movies, looking at different things such as

During this period i learnt about what title would match horror movies, and also from the picture analysis l learnt the type of things that normally take place in the horror movies, as displayed in the picture above.

We also did the preliminary task.

On the preliminary task, the assignment sheet stated the kind of things that were gonna be marked and these included

• I80 Degree Rule - from this l learnt how to shoot on the right angles, but not crossing the 180 degree line, and this will be easy to edit. If the 180 degree rule is broken, it will result to the audience getting confused.

The other things l learnt is continuity editing. This is what's used in most movies, and at the same time hard cut and jump cuts for horror movies.

Question 6: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

As for this project, there where so many techonologies that we used for the opening sequence to be a success.

Firstly straight from the start l used blogger, and this is where l posted all my research and planning, and the one l'm still using. Blogger is more convnient, all the work will be inorder at one place. It is also good because there will not be any need of carrying files of the work, but insteady one can just look at their blog and see all they want to do, or all they have done.

After the research and planning, we ,moved on to the next stage which is the production stage and here we used many technological equipment. On this stage the camera operator/videographer worked with the equipment more.

Firstly we had a camera that we used to record every action that we wanted.

For the camera to work we used a charged battrey and a recording tape where our information/recording was going.

Besides thecamera we also had a tripod and that's where we placed the camera when it was necessary. I learnt that a tripod is used to keep the camera still, it is very stable and it is to be used when necessary, it is also better than using a hand, or hand holding the camera.

After shooting all that we wanted, it was time for the editor to do work, and for the editing part we used final cut pro to edit our opening sequence.

For us to get the video from the tape to the computer that we edited on we used a capturing deck.

The tape had to be put into the deck and then log and capture. After having the capture on the computer then the editing had to be started.

Question 5: How did you attract/address your audience?

Question 4: Who would be the audience for your media product?

Ø  Age

The media product we have created can be watched by a number of audiences, but firstly because of the genre it is, it’s specified 15+.

                                                          

                                            

We have decided to put this age specification, because of the scary scenes that in with in our product, so it’s to avoid the younger ones getting nightmares e.t.c

Ø  Gender

When it comes to gender we are targeting at both males and females. The girl who is the main actress will represent all the females, especially young girls between 15 and 25 years old. The anonymous killer will represent the males, especially the young aged between 15 and 25 years old.

Ø  Socio Economic Group

The socio economic group we aiming at is from C2, D and E. Because of the actor’s lifestyle, they audience of that economic socio group can relate more to the opening sequence.

Question 3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

The production company that may be working on the movie Vanish from scripting, shooting, and editing is Castle Rock Entertainment.

                      

Castle Rock Entertainment have also done recognized movies like Misery in 1990.

When it comes to distribution the company that may buy the product we have made can be bought by Columbia Pictures. 

This distribution company will be suitable of distributing the product because it's been in the industry ever since 1919 and because of that it have made a name and it also have experience from other horror movies they have distributed like The Hunting Beast.

Vanish Opening Sequence.(Official Final Sequence)

The final opening sequence for the movie Vanish.

Question 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The first image on the right is a screen grab from my opening sequence Vanish. The other picture on the left is from an old movie called Night Terrors from the 90s.

Ø  Costume

As from my opening sequence, the costume that the actress was wearing pajamas, and it’s not clearly revealed in the picture, and this also applies to the other pictures. This identifies the actress as middle class just like that one of Nights Terrors.

Ø  Body Language

The body language from on the right is showing that the girls is waking up in a shock, she is probably about to jump out of her blankets.  In the other picture of Night Terrors, the actress looks like she is clinging on her blankets and she have seen something very scary. This is opposite to mine, because in mine the actress dreams about something scary and wakes up quickly.

Ø  Role (In the film)

In the movie Night Terror, the actress is the main actress, and she is also the vulnerable one, and this is the same as mine, the main actress is the vulnerable one and is experiencing all the horrific things.

Ø  Dialogue

In my own opening sequence there wasn’t any dialogue, and in the movie Night Terrors, there was dialogue, but the actress did not speak as much.

Ø  Make-Up

In both Vanish and Night Terrors, no make up was used.

Ø  Props

Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

During the development and research and planning of the movie Vanish, I and the group had to make sure that the final product will have some forms and conventions of real media products.

Ø  Setting/Location

Looking at the location, we had to make sure that we establish our location in the first scenes of the movie, and by doing this the audience will have an idea of where we are and they will fell connected to the movie. One of the most important things we did was to make sure that out location was a bit isolated, it was not in the middle of the city. We did this simply because in most horror movies location are unpredictable, but the most common used ones are isolated locations, and also a few exceptions of the city centre. Having an isolated location allowed us to bring tension to the audience, because they will feel trapped.

Ø  Film Titles

Film titles were no exceptions, they had to be added. In ever movie titles are found, and mainly in the opening scenes where the filming crew will be introduced, and a bit about the movie if necessary. Soon after the first establishing shot, the first titles appeared and through out the whole opening sequence there are more, and at the end of the opening sequence the name of the movie appeared with a bang, in red big text. All the titles in this opening sequence are the names of the most important people, for example the director, editor e.t.c. In most horror movies that’s the case, where by the main important people will be introduced in the first few minutes for example in Dawn Of The Dead.

Ø  Costumes & Props

As for the girls, her costume was not all that flashy, it was a simply attire that she was putting on, and her handbag. But when it comes to the anonymous killer, it was different, because he was wearing all black to prevent identification. The killer had long gloves and this prevents any type evidence incase the police might be looking for the fingerprints.

Ø  Camerawork & Editing

When it comes to camerawork we used the typical shots that are used in many horror movies, and these include:

a) Establishing Shot

b) Close Up

Ø  Titles Font & Style

As for title font l firstly used Blood Feast and size 36 Bold.

After the first draft l had to change it to Al Bayan and the size was 36 plain and in some 25 Bold

The last text, which is the name of the movie, is the one that appears really big.

Ø  Story & How the opening sequence sets it up

Our story line was not a complicated one. We tried to simplify it as much as we could and right from the beginning we firstly introduced both the main character at the same time we used the establishing shot, introducing the location where the girl is. When the girl is walking, it suggests that she is coming from college at night and she is alone. The audiences then see her walking in the road as she looks back thinking she heard something. At this time the audiences, tension will be attracted, because of how fast she turns back and also the sound effects. After that the whole scenes are switched and a new setting is introduced with an establishing shot, as the girl is walking to her house. As she arrives and is opening the door, that’s when she is dragged by an anonymous killer and after that she realized it’s a dream when she woke up.

Ø  Genre & How the opening sequence suggests it

The genre for this opening sequence it horror, and the opening sequence suggests it in terms of the location, lighting, the time of the night and the fact that she is all alone walking at night.

Ø  How characters are introduced

In the opening sequence Vanish, the first character is introduced as the first scene appears.

The camera is always focusing on this individual until the anonymous killer is suddenly introduced from nowhere, and this was almost at the end of the opening sequence.

Ø  Graphics/Special effects/Colour correction

In the opening sequence there are no special effects, but there is so much use of the three way colour correction, some of the scenes in the sequences where shot during the day but the three way colour correction allowed us to make it look like it’s at night.

Vanish (opening sequence draft)

Editing Screen Shots (proof)

Videographer OnSet

The day we were shooting. Sophie the videographer doing what she knows best.



Update On Production

The shooting of all the three scenes of the movie went well and as the director it was a good experience working with the videographer Sophie and she was also enjoying the shooting. We managed to shoot the whole movie within two days. The actors were also doing as what we had planned, there wasn't any arguments between the filming crew and the actors.

Third Feedback (paper checklist)

This is the third feedback that l have uploaded on my blog and it is to show the progress l am making in terms of my Media Coursework.

Call Sheet

As part of the coursework we were assigned to do a Call Sheet.

Date & Time	Name	Type Of Contact	Purpose	Contacts Notes Entered In System N/Y	Objective Met N/Y
- 18/02/12 - 12:30	Marie (Actress)	Personal Mobile number	Explaining to the actress what the opening sequence is about.	Y	Y
- 19/02/12 - 09:00	Roy (Actor)	Personal home visit	To explain to the actor what the opening sequence is about. (Anonymous killer in the dream)	Y	Y
- 20/02/12 - 16:00	Mat (Technician)	Office Landline Number	To make sure that we have booked out the correct equipment to use on the shooting day	Y	Y

Production Schedule

DATE	TASK
28 February	-       Call the actors and remind them about the shooting day and time. -       Meet with the videographer and make sure the equipment is ready for shooting.
29 February	-       Shooting begins, the first two scenes.
1 March	-       Shooting of the third and final scene.
2 March	-       Meet with the editor and then editing is done, export the opening sequence and upload it on youtube.
5 March	-       Burn the opening sequence on a disk. -       Plan evaluation questions 1 & 2.

Preliminary Task Evaluation

Doing the preliminary task was very benefitial to me in everyway. Firstly my raw as the diretor to coodinate the crew came in practise and l actually had to see that the shooting is going well.

I was organising and making sure that the actors we there on time and that they did and said what we had planned. What the actors had to do include the following:

As the shooting was going on, l had to make sure that the videographer was including the shots that were in the plannned and they also include the following:

I also played the raw of editing, covering Josh who was not around and for me editing was intresting and l learnt a lot of things. As l was editing l had many good shots but l only had to select a few and at one point l had twoo very goods shots showing the same thing at different persipectives and l wanted to use them both. Unfortunatley l could not use them because l didn't want to break the 30 degree rule. The shots angles where less than 30 degrees and if l was to use them l was going to break the rule. At the end l had to choose one shot to use, of which l did but it was a very had decision to make.

In my editing as well l added some extra effects to make the video look different from others and l knew about these effects from my previous  research about the software. In the video clip l added slo motion effects, fast speed effects and l also added titles. I also managed to add some introduction templet on the begginging on the clip which made it look more presenteble.

Preliminary Task

As part of our coursework we were assigned to do the preliminary task and l continues with my raw of being the director. Sophie was on the camera as the videographer, and because Joshua was not there to edit what we had captured l had to be the editor aswell, so in a natshell l played two roles in this preliminary task which are firstly my original raw as the director and also the editor covering Joshua's position.

Storyboard (Final)

The first draft of the storyboard was done by the videographer Sophie, she presented it to the group and then after conformation she went on to make the final one which is shown below.

The Collection of Helpful Notes

As we were being taught through out, l made notes and some of the notes that are going to be helpful to me are below: