First Day of Filming! - Aimee

Tuesday 28th of Feb. Kieran, Dani and I (Aimee) went to Haywards Heath police station to get our first lot of shots done. Marlon was missing due to lack of communtication between all of us. We also couldn't use the old prisoner cells as they are no longer in use but we made it work by using an interview room. The room was well lit so we used the LED light to create more of an interogation scene. We also had an opportunity to film one of the police cars pulling into the station with its lights on which was a plus. All in all we had a productive first day of filming and we made everything work even though we were an actor down. Hoping to film next tuesday (6th of march!!)

Today's filming and the complications we faced - Dani, Kieran & Aimee

We have had to change the storyboard slightly for the police station location, as we were told by our supervisor, Rachel Mundai that the police cells at the station were no longer in use and were instead used for storage. To overcome this, we decided to instead use an interview room to hold the conversation between prisoner and police officer which actually worked better than our original idea.
Due to complications with timings of filming, one of our group members was unable to make it for filming, and he was supposed to be acting as the prisoner and he also had the script. But as he was unable to make it we had to change the actors so that Kieran ended up acting for the part of the the policeman and the prisoner as well. We managed to create the effect by showing him as the prisoner wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. For the policeman, he wore a pair of smart black trousers and shoes. We were unable to show his face due to the fact that it was the same actor so only filmed him from the waist down, this also adds to the mystery of the thriller opening.

Props and costume - Dani

The prisoner in the cell will be wearing some baggy tracksuit bottoms and just a plain t shirt/polo shirt as it was the closest we could get to the actual uniform. We didn't think that prisoners wore uniform anymore,  we thought they just wore their own ordinary clothes, so tracksuit bottoms and a plain top is what we decided on, as it is quite dull and something we could imagine an inmate wearing.

Props - Marlon he may be able to get hold of some liquid latex which we could use to try and fashion a nasty looking scar on the serial killer inmate. 


We also are hoping to use the police officer Rachel in our film so it would be a real police uniform in the film. If not we will just use black shoes and trousers and keep the identity of their face hidden from the camera and create the illusion of a police officer. 

Filming at the police station - Dani

Today is the day we are filming at the police station. We have been told to go to the main reception of the police station at twelve and ask for Rachel Mundai, who is my Mum's sergeant. There, we will meet Rachel and she will supervise us until one, as we film our shots of the cells, conversation rooms and of a police car arriving at the police station. She will be leaving us at one, as she has got training but she will ask a PCSO to come and supervise us until we are finished, so that we can get enough rushes to work with while editing.

I have already emailed Andrew last week to explain that our media group wouldn't be in today's double lesson due to filming, however I will email him again today just to confirm. 

We are arriving at college for half eleven where we will all meet to get the equipment that we had previously booked out for this day. The equipment we are using is:

- HD camera

- Tripod

- LED light

- Red light

After picking up the required equipment, we will drive to the police station to be there in good time for twelve.

Animatic - Dani

This is the animatic for our thriller opening. We placed each of the post it notes representing each individual shot along the edge of tables in a line, then used and dolly, tripod and camera to film along the length of the tables. 


I had to edit some parts of the shot, as when using the dolly on the floor beside the table, came into contact with the table legs a few times, I cut these out and tried to make them as smooth as possible. I also slowed the overall shot down so that you can clearly see the post it notes for each shot.

Thriller Phone Scenes (Marlon)

The opening of our thriller contains two phone conversations, the first with just one character (the detective) seen and heard, and the second with parallel editing between two people talking (the detective and the criminal). This type of scene is common in the thriller genre, and very effective at creating tension. In addition, one-sided phone conversations raise enigmas, as one half of the conversation is inaudible to the audience.

Our first phone conversation, Detective Inspector Jet reporting his crime scene findings to his superiors, is one sided, and we will see the character slowly investigating the setting while talking. The second will cut between the crime scene and a prison cell, holding the suspected killer. To research methods of shooting these scenes, we have been watching phone-call extracts from other thrillers, such as Taken and The Dark Knight (above).
Other thriller phone scenes:

Filming Dates (Marlon)

We will be filming all shots needed from the police station on TUESDAY 28TH FEBRUARY, leaving college at roughly 12:30 and continuing through our double period of Media. We will then shoot the farm shots on SUNDAY 4TH MARCH, Dani, Aimee and Kieran travelling by car from Haywards Heath and Marlon and our actor Callum travelling from East Grinstead, either by train or car.

List of roles (Dani & Kieran)

Marlon- casting, serial killer in jail, script writer, location scout  

Dani- Director, costume, location scout   

Aimee- Prop supervisor, hair and make-up designer, sound designer, dead body

Kieran- Transportation, first aid, prop acquisition, police man  

All – Camera operators, lighting and editing  

Actors

Callum twigg – (detective)

Synopsis of film (dani & kieran)

A body is discovered in an abandoned barn and the private detective, Simon Jet is on the case. The body shows the same hallmarks of a notorious serial killer; however he is currently in prison and Jet is the one that put him there. 

And now there is a race against time between the detective and the killer.  Who will prevail and will there be any more blood? Can the detective stop him before he strikes again? Is it the same killer or is it is it a copycat killer will Detective Jet find the answers and solve the case before it’s too late!

Pre-production planning - Location survey (Dani & Kieran)

Locations for Thriller - Farm, Dormansland

Pre- production planning - Risk Assesment

Lighting homework

Back lighting

Silhouette

Bottom Lighting

Front light

Key and side light

Side light

Lighting of man in room image

Copy of lighting on image of lady

Thriller Ideas

Unfortunately, the video did not export correctly, but the sound works, so you are able to hear our dulcet tones clearly.

Pre- production planning - Props - Fake blood (Dani)

Due to the idea we have for our Thriller opening, we will have to carefully organise props to make the murder scene realistic. We have looked around at our options of making our own fake blood from youtube videos but have come to the conclusion that the best idea would just to buy fake blood for our film, as it is the most effective at looking realistic and least time consuming.

This is the option we have decided to go with as it is also cost effective for the amount that we would need.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rubies-Masquerade-Pint-Fake-Blood/dp/B000VO91GE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1328106670&sr=8-2

Deadline Two

A completed storyboard for the entire opening (preferably having used ‘post it’s), including initial ideas about title placing.
This needs to be made into an animatic of approximately the same length as the final film will be (shots to be timed carefully) with a voice-over explanation and embedded onto the blog.

Also:
- a synopsis for the whole film narrative from which this will be the opening
- the script for any dialogue,
- list of roles (see pre-production planning advice)
- images of locations and decisions about locations,
- prop research and justification in terms of character and story
- health and safety, including risk assessments for filming and use of equipment.
- lighting decisions.
Blog Heading “Pre-Production Planning”(clearly label which group member has taken responsibility for each of the various posts).

Again, consider blog format – images, text, screen grabs, embedded video, hyperlinks, etc

If you want to film over half term, this needs to be handed in earlier in order that we can check it through and grant permission.

Deadline - Friday 10th February

Targets for week beginning 06/02/12

• Get permission to film at the police station.
• Storyboard our idea, so that we can film in half term.
• Organise actors.
• Try and arrange costume and props.

Opening of " Deja Vu" - Aimee

In the opening there are several establishing shots, which leaves no questions as to where the location is, however we can ask why are we here?

In the opening, the camera tends to be away from the actors, creating long shots, medium long shots, etc. I think this is because it lets the audience ask questions and helps establish where we are and what the general mood is.

Fades are used in the opening of this film. They represent a change in time, and as the film is called deja vu the images that are shown could be in the past. This creates tension as we're unsure if it is set in past or present. This makes you ask questions, and makes the audience think.

The use of editing has sped up and slowed down certain shots, making it seem like its panning through time/slowing it down. It also creates a disillusioned state of mind fitting with the title of the film.

Some diegetic sound is used but it is enhanced to show importance. The soundtrack is contrapuntal, as the beginning shots seems happy, however the music suggest that this will change at some point during the movie. Again this makes the audience ask questions and become attached to the film etc.