Searching for a Location

Me and Brendan went out searching for a location on Thursday. Looking at our storyboards and story ideas we knew we had to figure out a place that could be used as a forest and a place that could be used as someones bedroom.

We went out searching for these locations and thought that the toilets could be used as a replacement for a bathroom. However, we thought that there were no rooms that could be used as a bedroom so we decided that one of us would take a camera home to film these scenes.

We went out searching and found that there was a forest about 5 minutes outside of the college that was perfect for our film. We walked around looking where certain parts of our film could be shot and took a few photos of the area.

We got back and uploaded these photos onto our blogs.

Location Shots - Photos

This is the path our character will walk down, on his way to the forest.

This is the forest that we will shoot in on the day we will film, our character will walk down this forest.

This is the place where our character will fall down a hole, we are unsure at the moment how we are going to film this scene.

This is the path our character will walk down and is the point he will enter the forest.



This will be one of the pathways our character will walk down on his way to the hole.



Different Film Genres

In film theory, genre refers to the method of film categorization based on similarities in the narrative elements from which films are constructed. Most theories of film genre are borrowed from literary genre criticism.

Action/Adventure - Action films are usually high-octane, mindless fun. These films don't usually focus on a complex narrative more just entertaining the audience with car chases, gun fights and explosions. These film are normally resolved in one film and do not usually leave room for a sequel. Adventure usually contain the same although they usually focus more on narritive.

Comedy - Comedy films, like action, are not too focused on narrative and are used as to make the viewer laugh and feel good. They usually end happily and could occasionally include moments of drama.

Crime & Gangster - These films are usually more character driven than the other genres in this post. These films usually follow either a small group or one person life living through crime as gangster. The characters in these films usually have drastic transformation from there first scene till their last (Michael Corleone in The Godfather).

Drama - Drama are more narrative driven, these films usually use realistic characters trying to overcome some sort of tragedy in their life. They use realistic characters and realistic storylines to help tell their story and connect with the viewer.

Horror - Horrors are used to entertain the viewer by using fear. These films can usually be predictable and over the top with its violence. However, they can  play on the viewers mind when doing a psychological horror.

Science Fiction - Science Fiction films can be anything they are rarely held down by the genre bounderies like Drama and a Slasher Horror are. They usually focus on a bizarre narrative and have outstanding special effects. Sci-Fi can almost do anything it wants to as it is what we expect with the genre.

Script for continuity

The script for the continuity project

INTERVIEWEE opens the door, and walks to the chair across from the employer; the camera will follow the Interviewee to the seat, and then cut to a reverse shot of the employer.

EMPLOYER

Welcome, take a seat. Can I see your CV Please?

INTERVIEWEE

Hello, sure, here it is.

EMPLOYER

So you’re currently at university, here for a summer temp job. You also have previous retail experience.

INTERVIEWEE

Yeah, I worked in Primark for a year, before university.

EMPLOYER

Great, thanks for your time, expect a call within the next 2 weeks.

INTERVIEWEE

Thanks, I’ll look forward to it.  (Leaves)

Media – “Se7en” Opening Sequence Analysis

The opening credits of David Fincher’s horror film “Se7en”, is designed in a way to make the spectator feel uneasy. It creates the feeling of uneasiness with the combination of Sound, Editing and lighting as well as Mise-En-Scene.

The sound throughout the opening credits is an edited version of the song “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails. The song has been edited in a way that will cause an unsettling feeling upon the spectator; it has a constantly changing beat which never allows the audience to settle. Sound effects such as razors, drills, and rattles have been included to give the credits unpleasant sounds therefore, helping the spectator familiarize themselves with the genre. Throughout this sequence the sound is presented in a way to bring tension to scene as you don’t know who this person he is or what these bizarre scenes making the spectator become intrigued by this character.

The majority of the editing during this scene is the discontinuity style of editing, rather than the more traditional continuity style of editing, by editing this sequence with the discontinuity style of editing, it makes the audience become aware of the editing and make then readjust themselves with the screen after the jump cuts. The purpose of this entire sequence is to disorientate the viewer; it does with a variety of techniques. For example the sequence over lays some of the shots to have to make the spectator try and concentrate on two things at once, however, the shots during this sequence are very quick therefore whenever the spectator does familiarize themselves with the screen something new has appeared. Some of the sequences throughout the clip have been filmed backwards to also create confusion among the spectator, it does this by over laying some normal clips on top of some of the backwards clips, these moments are also very short so by the time the spectator has figured it out something new has again appeared.

The lighting during this clip is constantly dark, although there are some occasional moments of the color red. Red is used to help keep in context with the genre of the film. Combined with what is happening in the scene the red is used as a symbol of both danger and blood to represent the horror genre.

The mise-en-scene in this clip has been done in a way that reflects the characters personality, the mise-en-scene helps the spectator to understand the character, who is never seen, by showing the characters actions. At one point the character is shown removing skin from his finger tips, therefore removing his identity, which makes the spectator distance themselves from the character. At another point of the clip you see the character again cross out somebody’s identity by crossing out eyes in a photo of an unknown man. It removes the identity as eyes are what we use show feeling and it is what people first look at when meeting someone. This clip is hard for the spectator to understand what is going on as they have nothing to relate or no idea why this unknown character is doing what he is doing.

The editing, lighting, sound and mise-en-scene are all used to make the spectator understand what the film they will be watching will be like, this title sequence is designed to make the spectator understand they will be watching a horror.

Opening titles project

For our opening titles project our group (Me, Brendan, Ben) had to come up with 4 separate ideas for opening titles. We had to write ideas for 4 separate genres; a Fantasy film for children, Romantic Comedy for couples, Action film for adults and a Horror film for teenagers.  Our ideas were –

Action Film – Our action film will revolve around the recent situation of the creator of “wikileaks”. The film shows him trying to overcome the government and get the truth out to the people of the world.

Fantasy Film – A man, on his way to work, is walking down a forest and falls through a hidden hole in the ground and ends up on another side of the world. The entire sequence after the whole will be filmed upside down.

Horror Film – We only had a rough idea for our horror film idea. It is based around a man who would hill somebody in their sleep but consequently not know he did it he then learns to deal with this and will eventually over come it.

Romantic Comedy – Our romantic comedy revolves around a teenage guy who begins to fall for a girl during college/university. Upon closer inspection the guy finds out that the girl is a mute. During this film they learn to overcome her disability and find true love.

We are edging towards the fantasy film idea.