Preliminary Task

This is our preliminary task.

Feedback from R1-17

- Voice over which is establishing characters works well.
- Good close ups.
- It's clear you've played with the colors to make it brighter which makes it cheerier.

FeedBack from R1 15

Music stop and starts again in an odd place, but i like the way the mcfly music comes in as it sound like it is through a personal device
i like the general idea maybe you could of filmed out side of school
good variation on shot the match on action worked well when entering the bog

We thought that the soundtrack was good and suited the genre perfectly.
some use of good camera work although occasional shaky shots and blurryness.
Costumes were good for characters though.

Brad Chapman is a hottie!!

FINAL CUT POLLY BUTTON

Music

We chose this beat for polly button to capture our target audience, as it is young and popular.
It is cool sounding, and this is what polly button thinks she is.

The other music we created on garageband was the part going alongside the Brad Chapman clip. Brad Chapam is supposed to be cool and slick, so this music went perfectly with his attitude.

The McFly music is fun and upbeat. As she dances it makes her seem care free. It shows her true nature, as she is quite clumsy and slightly geeky.

Video criteria

- Holding a shot steady where appropriate
- Framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate
- Using a variety of shot distances
- Shooting material appropriate to the task set
- Selecting mise en scene, including colour, lighting, objects and setting
- Editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer
- Using titles appropriately

Response to feedback

- We are going to cut out the diegetic chatter in the background
- We would to get rid of the girl in the background but we can't do anything about it
- We could reshoot the scene with the ipod so that it starts from the beginning of the song

Feedback from class

Mise en Scene:
- College toilets, McFly and the ipod show the age group
- Hair spray, sunglasses and make up shows genre

Camerawork:
- Close up
- Over the shoulder, reflection in the mirror
- Crane shot
- Match on action
- Close up of eyes is a bit strange

Editing:
- Like the names, good font and positioning
- Jake and James jump from front of the car to standing further forwards with a girl?
- Good use of slow motion, hair flick fits well

Sound:
- McFly song says says 22 seconds on ipod but plays from the beginning in the film opening
- Need to edit out voice-diegetic
- Good sound over eyes
- Giggling may work in some places throughout

Generic Conventions:
- Teenage romantic comedy
- Typical colours
- Ipod
- Make up
- Girl falls over, comedy

Rough cut

this is our rough cut for our film opening. Enjoy.

Font for our titles

We went on dafont.com to look for a font to suit our opening sequence.
This is the one we chose:

Titles

We have researched into different hand written style titles.
Here are some of them:











Likes: The sketchy title, it has a young look, perfect for a teen rom com.















Likes: The doodle like effect. Its a careless style, again representing teenagers.










Likes: Even though the writing is pink and swirly, it looks messy to show its a handwritten style.

Script

Polly Button walks in through the door, smiling, bag on arm, looking confident.

Over voice
Polly: This is me. (freeze frame) I'm cool, calm and sophisticated. (freeze frame ends she does a little slip. Chad Chapman walks in round the corner.) and this is Chad. Chad Chapman. (Chad flicks hair and smiles. Polly sighs thoughtfully. They lock eyes.)

Target Audience

Our target audience for our opening sequence are teenage girls from the age of 12 upwards.
To capture this audience we will use stereotypical colours, characters, props and music.

prop and costume list

This is so we know who is responsible for bringing different props in and when.

• Caitlin- pink top, scarf.
• Lisa- Big sunglasses
• Rose- hairbrush and make up
  
• Katie- I Pod

This will be brought in for the 12th feb, when we do our filming.

Our Animatic Opening Sequence

We chose the first bit of music to represent Polly because she thinks she is cool, and the music had a young beat.

We made the song by McFly sound more tinned and hollow, this made is sound more that she was listening to her I Pod. We think it was very effective, and made it sound more diegetic.

We have change the name of Chad-Michael Efron to Chad Chapman.

Analyslis

Here is a film opening analysis of Bridget Jones's Diary:






Bridget Jones’s diary was released in April 2001, the romantic comedy is based on the novel be Helen Fielding. It was a very successful film.

The opening of Bridget Jones establishes the genre and the mood of the film.
The opening shot is a mid shot and establishes the scene. The opening scene is set in her living room. She is sitting on the sofa drinking wine and is upset about being all alone.

Costume is used cleverly in this opening sequence, as she is wearing pyjamas, she looks like she doesn’t care what she looks like. Her living room is cluttered and messy, this suggests that she stays in a lot and doesn’t go out much.

The props used are the television, a glass of wine and a magazine. The way she gets herself drunk shows that she is depressed.

The diegetic sound of the telephone saying that she doesn’t have any messages is humorous. It also emphasises how alone she is. The other diegetic sound is the music. The song ‘All by myself’ goes alongside all the other details that make her seem lonely to sum up what kind of a character she is.

The genre is established straight away, already the viewer is laughing at her dancing and her character. This shows it is a romantic comedy.

COSTUMES

The two main characters in our opening sequence are the boy and the girl.

The girl will be wearing:

• lots of jewelery

• big sunglasses
• handbag
• scarf

girly top















The boy will be wearing:

• shoulder bag

• shirt

• 

LOCATION

As we are going to make a teen romantic comedy, we need to get the location right, so the genre is easily established.
Typical locations of a teen rom-com:

• High school
• school canteens
• corridors of school

Our opening sequence will mainly be filmed in a school corridor, like this one:

PROP LIST

Big sunglasses
We need a pair of sunglasses for when the main characters first walks through the doors of the corridor.

I Pod
She will be listening to her music as she walks through the school.


















Big Handbag
















Hairbrush

Shot list

Shot 1: Establishing shot
Girl walks down busy corridor
Props: handbag
Location: Corridor

Shot 2: Freeze frame and close up
Introduction of who she is. She immediately slips over.
"hi, i'm [girl's name], and i'm cool, calm and sophisticated."

Shot 3: Long shot/Slow-motion/freeze frame
"Perfect" boy walks in, close up on his face as he flicks his hair (slow motion)
Freeze frame of him smiling as the girl introduces him to the audience.

Shot 4: Close up
Flicks between their eyes (shot-reverse-shot)
Girl squeals and runs into the bathroom

Shot 5: mid-shot
Looking through bathroom mirror, starts putting on make up. She then puts her earphones in (match on action)
Props: Make up, Hairbrush, earphones
Location: Bathroom

Shot 6: close up
(match on action)
Side view of her ear, and her putting her earphones in
Props: earphones

Shot 7: close up
close up of her ipod, of her selecting a song. (McFly - 5 colours in her hair)
McFly starts to play
Props: Ipod

Shot 8: mid-shot and close ups
various different shots of parts of her body starting to dance

Shot 9: mid shot
girl goes to leave bathroom, she is still dancing.
(match on action)

Shot 10: Long shot
(match on action)
girl dancing out of the door and down the path

Shot 11: over-the-shoulder
over the "perfect" boys shoulder.
you can see the girl turning round and realising he has seen her.

Shot 12: close up
switches between boy laughing and the girl cringing
(shot-reverse-shot)

Shot 13: mid shot
The girl spins around quickly to hide in the loos and get away from the boy.
She runs and hits the door and falls over.

Shot 14: birds eye view
girl lying on her back on the floor looking up into the camera.
Her bag and all her things are all over the floor around her.
This is where the title of the film would be shown.
Props: Handbag, Makeup, School books etc.

Teacher Feedback

Your blog is looking really good and it very clearly communicates your intended mise en scene, it would be useful if you had some more images to illustrate the specific props you discuss in one of your recent posts.
Also it is essential that all group members complete an analysis of a film opening sequence, so Caitlin and Katie need to finish theirs and Lisa and Rose need to do one.
Make sure you have your full shot list on the blog too. I would also like to see something that details your costumes, props, locations and actors and something concrete about who is acting in it and who is responsible for gathering props and costumes.
Good work, keep going.

ideas for stereotypical female characters

main girl:
- over the top clothes and accessories
- clumsy, exaggerated facial expressions

ideas for stereotypical male characters

"perfect" boy:
- sweepy long hair
- nice smile

initial ideas

here are the initial ideas for the basis of our opening film sequence:

- setting and location: college grounds (corridor with lockers, toilets, outside etc)
- costume: bright, colorful clothes, big sunglasses, handbag, massive earrings
- props: ipod, lockers, earphones and big handbag

initial ideas:
- establishing shot of stereotypical girl walking down school corridor by herself, as she walks, she slips over suddenly.
- establishing shot of 'perfect' boy and a slow motion shot of him smiling.
- close up of each of their eyes noticing each other.
- girl runs into bathroom, puts on ipod, and begins to dance while putting makeup on.
- girl carries on dancing, and exits the toilet. gets too carried away with dancing and doesn't realise the 'perfect' boy has walked out of the boy's loos and stopped to watch her.
- she spins around, realises he's watching her, gasps, turns and runs straight into the toilet door and slips onto her back.


this is a vague outline of what we wish to happen within our opening film sequence- it may be altered during the filming process.

film analysis

Romeo and Juliet - directed by Baz Luhrman

I think the opening sequence of Luhrman's Romeo and Juliet is extremely effective, especially as it manages to inform the audience of the background information and history of the family rivalry between the Montagues and Capulets, without giving too much away. The first stanza of Romeo and Juliet, ("Two Households, Both Alike In Dignity...") is presented through the idea of a news reporter on a TV screen. It starts off as a long shot and slowly zooms in so you are right there within the action of the play. The "Two Households" stanza is then repeated as a voice-over, creating an extremely dramatic effect, over loads of camera footage involving Verona, the two families fighting and their individual histories. Special effects were used to speed up the footage, and with that and loud, classical music, it looks like a news report. Baz Luhrman also introduces the main characters with editing their name and who they are on top of a frozen image of them, I think this was a really good idea as it creates a basic understanding of the people involved in the family fued. The setting of the opening sequence is all around Verona, and the mise-en-scene of the news report footage is very particular, and gives the film a sense of timeless-ness (as the mixutre


NOT FINISHED

TEAM BONDING :D

Shot List

This is a list of all the different shots that we could use in our opening sequence:

- Establishing shot
- close up
- extreme close up
- tracking shot
- pan
- zoom
- over the shoulder
- point of view.
- long shot
- extreme long shot
- low angle
- High angle

the deadlines

Coursework:

Interim deadlines - practical, rough cut, 9th February (last lesson)
- Writing, 9:00am 9th March to Moodle.

Final Deadline - Practical, final cut, end of first lesson 2nd March
- Writing, 9:00am, 16th march to moodle.

More Romantic Comedy research

This is the wikipedia definition of a romantic comedy. This helped us gain further insight to what it exactly means, and what we have to do to achieve a typical romantic comedy.

The basic plot of a romantic comedy is that two protagonists, usually a man and a woman, meet, part ways due to an argument or other contrived obstacle, then ultimately reunite. Sometimes the two protagonists meet and become involved initially, then must confront challenges to their union. Sometimes the two protagonists are hesitant to become romantically involved because they believe that they do not like each other, because one of them already has a partner, or because of social pressures. However, the screenwriters leave clues that suggest that the characters are, in fact, attracted to each other and that they would be a good love match. The protagonists often separate or seek time apart to sort out their feelings or deal with the external obstacles to their being together.

While the two protagonists are separated, one or both of them usually realizes that they are ideal for each other, or that they are in love with each other. Then, after one of the two makes some spectacular effort to find the other person and declare their love, (this is sometimes called the grand gesture), or due to an astonishing coincidental encounter, the two meet again. Then, perhaps with some comic friction or awkwardness, they declare their love for each other and the film ends happily. The couple does not, however, have to marry, or live together "happily ever after." The ending of a romantic comedy is meant to affirm the primary importance of the love relationship in its protagonists' lives, even if they physically separate in the end (e.g. Shakespeare in Love, Roman Holiday)^[1].

There are many variations on this basic plotline. Sometimes, instead of the two lead characters ending up in each other's arms, another love match will be made between one of the principal characters and a secondary character (e.g., My Best Friend's Wedding and My Super Ex-Girlfriend). Alternatively, the film may be a rumination on the impossibility of love, as in Woody Allen's film Annie Hall. The basic format of a romantic comedy film can be found in much earlier sources, such as Shakespeare plays like Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Some comedy films, such as Knocked Up, combine themes of romantic comedies and stoner comedies, creating a subgenre that appeals to both men and women.

Mood Board

This is our mood board, this is to show the genre, mood and mise-en-scene of our movie opening.

initial ideas

From researching into romantic comedies our group have been discussing ideas for our Rom Com opening. Here are some of them:

- School Location (coridors, classrooms, canteen, prom?)
- Different social groups
- Stereotypes
- Boy meets girl
- teenage issues

examples of other production company logos

discussion of all five genres

supernatural thriller with a strong female lead - thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action, and resourceful heroes who must thwart the plans of the more powerful villains. literary devices such as suspense, red herrings and cliff hangers are normally used.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm4Fw2QElA4
What Lies Beneath

british social realist drama - kitchen sink drama. real life issues and scenarios dramatized into a programme.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SfoJx6t97RE
This Is England

adventure story for younger audiences - adventure stories normally include a quest or journey to find something or someone in a race against the competition. usually the main character meets lots of different people/characters along the way.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lhQ-0HGn8mI
Madagascar 2 - Escape To Africa boyyyy

teenage romantic comedy - stereotypically includes a young teenage girl trying to fit in/make a certain boy like her and messes everything up in a humorous way.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zx-Um3L2S3g
Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging

crime caper with an ensemble cast - a group of people trying to commit a crime eg. robbing a bank.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BV-U-ERRU_A
Oceans Eleven

Romantic Comedy Research

We have chosen to use the genre of the romantic comedy. This can be presented by all generations. Here are a couple of examples:



This is aimed for a teenage to young adult audience. It shows different social groups and stereotypes which is typical of a teenage rom com in a school environment.





This is another example of a teenage rom com. This shows the problems and embarrassing moments a teenager goes through.

Film opening Analysis

PRIDE & PREJUDICE

An opening sequence must comply to certain areas if it wants to accomplish its main aim, to inform the viewer of: who the characters are, what the genre is, where is it meant to be set and what the narrative is.

Joe Wright’s version of Pride & Prejudice (2005) sets the location, genre and time period of the film well with an opening establishing shot of a dewy meadow at dawn, with warm sunlight and morning mist. This implies that is it set in a rural location in the country, and therefore has connotations of peace, calm and an image of romantic readiness. The genre and time period are also introduced through the non-diegetic music being played. It is typical and complies with the set time period well which also sets the mood of the film.
A little later, you are introduced into the main characters’ home. They have used a tracking shot of the main character as she walks through the yard so you get to see her surroundings, and then, as Lizzie walks off, it changes to a point of view shot from the audience to give the impression that you are ‘walking’ through the house yourself. This lets the viewer have the impression that they are in control and also that they are discovering the family and their living conditions for themselves.

When you first meet the character Elizabeth ’Lizzie’ Bennet (played by Keira Knightly) she is walking though the sunny dewy meadow and reading, while wearing a plain green dress of the period. This immediately gives you an insight into her personality and nature. Both of the activities that she is doing, alongside her dress code, connote curiosity, independence and thoughtfulness, but also show that she is not from a very wealthy family, which help the consumer to make a connection and make a friendship with her from the start. This is essential if the viewer is to journey along side the character throughout the story. We see Elizabeth through a close up and then an over the shoulder shot. This way we can see her focus and reaction to what she is doing, and then get to see her reaction to her finishing her book. These are also all essential for a connection with the main character.
We also get to meet Mr and Mrs. Bennet and the Bennet sisters and discover who and what they are like. This introduction helps to secure a knowledge of who everyone is and establish an understanding of the narrative. We meet Mr and Mrs. Bennet once we have come back to a mid shot of Lizzie coming up the outside stairs which is where the story then begins.

At this point we discover a bit of the narrative/plot from the conversation that Mr and Mrs. Bennet then have. It is not much but by the end you discover that is has had a fairly big role to play in the content of the story.


Here is the movie clip of the opening...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvePg4AXicQ


NOT FINISHED

Influence and Ideas

We looked at the Juno opening sequence and liked the idea of the sketchy/cartoon motion.

http://www.shadowplaystudio.com/juno/index.html

We attempted our own version of this sequence. We used the posterisation effect on final cut. This is how it turned out...

Opening sequence conventions

Typically, an opening sequence will contain:

* Details of cast and crew.
* The film's title.
* An introduction to character or character type.
* Indication of place.
* Indication of historical period.
* Information regarding mood and tone.
* Introduction to signature theme tune.
* Information about genre.
* Questions that the viewer finds intriguing.
* Patterns and types of editing that will be echoed in the remainder of the film.
* Mise en scene and cinematography that will be echoed or elaborated upon later in the film.

Sequence Summaries

In this project we have to choose a certain genre to produce a film opening with.
These are the options:

1. A supernatural thriller with a strong female lead.
2. A British social realist drama.
3. An adventure story for younger audiences.
4. A teenage romantic comedy.
5. A crime caper with an ensemble cast.

Out of the options we would possibly choose 3 or 4...

This is our production company logo for Midnight productions.

To create this we used:
- Photo shop
- Final Cut
- Garage Band

We decided to use this specific music because it represents
the process of time moving which goes well with the movement
of the celestial bodies used.

R1-16 FILM OPENING PROJECT

Welcome