Filming our Thriller

On Wednesday 28/02/09 we had begun our filming for our thriller entry. The location was at Stoke Newington graveyard. On that day we had not completed as much as I wanted to due to the bad weather, it was raining and very muddy on the floor, therfore Nazmin found it difficult to run as that is part of our scene. However we managed to get a few close ups the statues of angels, of Nazmin running and facial expressions when she screams in the scene.

On Friday 30/01/09 we continued to film in the graveyard, but this time we took lots of establishing shots of the gravestones and statues of angels. We also put some of our footage onto the computer so that it will be easier and faster when we start editing. However we do still need to take lots more shots in the graveyard with different angles and begin our editing.

Written By Shahida Choudhury

Pitch lesson

On friday's lesson we had another planning session in which we had to present our thriller idea to the class. From the previous lesson we had planned out; to carry on with that idea. But there were a few problems as the plan had told a story in which we didnt really want, therefore we had changed our planning of the thriller opening.

Our second idea of a girl getting chase by another dark figure in which we would not see. As we have seen many thrillers which start with this chase we thought that our thriller opening will be different we would have to make it very rich and fancy. This means that we would have to make sure that there are more shots of the setting rather than the girl getting chased. Like for example, have birds flying up to the sky this will create a sense of fear.

We planned our thriller setting to take place in a graveyard where there are a lot of trees and also to make it at day and night lighting. We also chose to add on many close ups, extreme close up, an estbalishing shots to make it look very real.

For the sound we thought to have a non digetic and digetic. this is because it would make our thriller more live and scary in which will keep the audience entertained and also question about why this is happening to her what the reason is behind it all.

Making A Pitch

On Wednesday 21^st January, we were told to finalise our idea for our thriller entry. We then had to organise and plan for our pitch. This included making particular detail about our thriller, in terms costume, setting, music, context, camera angles and mise en scene. Our idea for our thriller is basically a girl who is running away from someone that is chasing her, and this would take place in a graveyard. This fits in with the theme of death, which can create an eerie felling for the audience. We will expand this feeling through fast paced music and a variety of camera shots, mainly extreme close ups as this shows emotion. On Friday’s lesson, 23^rd January, we presented our idea to our fellow classmates and they seemed to like the idea. During this lesson we had to make a schedule of what days we would book the camera and tripod out, as this enables us to be organised and ready to shoot.
Written By Shahida Choudhury

Planning Our Thriller

Last lesson our task was to plan our thrillers. We gave a variety of ideas in which we could join the ideas to come up with one thriller.

We plan our ideas into a brainstorm and finally had come up with one thriller in which we would think that we will be able to accomplish. The setting of our thriller will be in a park where there will be only one or maybe two characters. We also thought to add in special effects as one of our characters would appear as a ghost.

In order to get this effect, we would have to film the shots where the ghost effects will contain twice once with the character in the scene and then again without the character. And this will be then edited together when it comes to editing our thrillers.

Our thriller would be very different as we thought through the whole planning. The thriller will definately include a reflect back from the past as we will have jump cuts with the newspaper cuts at the beginning.
We all thought this will be a very simple idea as it will leave the audience to think why the character had come back in the form of a ghost to that specific place and what for.
The credits will also be added to the thriller in the parts where the ghost effects come up and this will slowly dissolve to a black background with the writing on (credits) and will be repeated again with another shot.

prelim match cut

Practicing planning, filming, editing and match cuts

During today’s lesson as a group we had to do a practice filming and edit it with the plan that we had done from the previous lesson. This plan consisted all the different types of camera shots that we were going to use and how many times we were going to use each shot for the practice filming. We allocated different things that each member had to do for the practice filming and editing. I had to do the acting, Shahida, Nazmin and Fahmida were doing the camerawork and at the end we all took part in the editing.

The brief of our practice filming was to film and edit a character entering college, and walking into a room where the character sits opposite another character and they share a conversation together. We had to use match cuts in order to put the sequence together.

I thought the camera shots that were taken at the beginning of the sequence came out best as we used the tripod in all shots. However, as I was the main actor in the sequence I often found it hard to walk at a very slow pace. Throughout the sequence in general I thought the camerawork came out quite good as we used the tripod; although at times like the shots that were taken in the lift it did not come out so good. This was because we did not use a tripod as it didn’t fit into the lift, and also Shahida found it quite hard to balance her arm and film at the same time. Also we were not able to tell that the filming shaked a lot at the time, but when we saw it on the computer we realised that we could tell her hand shaked a lot and it looked quite bad. This made us realise that using the tripod is essential and we should try our best to use it at all times when filming our thriller opening. We used different camera shots to show different things. We used low angle shots, over the shoulder shots to create suspense, extreme wide shot to show the mise en scene, close ups to show emotions, and also mid shots to show the characters.

As Shahida was mostly filming, at times she forgot to do the 5 seconds rule before she said ‘action’ and after she said ‘cut’. This made it hard for me to know when to stop as i was the character in the sequence. We learnt that this rule is important as it allows the actor to know what they are doing and it is also beneficial for later in the editing stage when we do the match cutting.

We used Apple Macs to edit our practice film. At first we all found it quite hard to use, although we did get some help in terms of how to edit our camerawork and also how to use match cuts to put the sequence together. By the time we got the hang of it and started editing the sequence, we didn’t have enough time to complete it; therefore we needed to come to workshop in order to complete the editing.

As we filmed in the college it was often hard to get an empty space as there were always people walking in and out of the camera. This made us realise for our thriller sequence we have to film at a time where no one will be present other then us in order for the mise en scene to come out good.

Overall I think practicing filming and editing was extremely beneficial to all members of the group as we learnt new things and we also learnt from the mistakes we made, and now know how to film and edit better. I also realised that planning is essential as it allows everyone to know what they are doing, and also it is unlikely to make mistakes if you plan really well.

Match Cut Lesson

The brief was to film a sequence of a character opening a, walks into a room, sits down opposite another character and they share a few lines of dialogue. We had to make sure we used at least one Match Cut, an example of a Shot/ Reverse shot and showing understanding of the 180 Degree Rule.

In terms of camera work I was happy with it and I did get the hang of it quite quickly. However I did make a few mistakes, in certain scenes the camera was shaking because my hand was wobbling while filming and I didn’t realise until I saw the footage on computer, I have learnt to always use the tripod unless you want the shaky effect.

In terms of editing, it took me a while to get used to using the Apple Macs, however I now know what to do for our real thriller entry when it comes to editing. I do think that our film did make sense however due to lack of time we should have taken more shots so that we could have more variety to choose from to get a better outcome.

As we did film it in the college, our mise en scene was not the best has there were a lot of students and teachers walking by. I think we did create a little bit of suspense even though it wasn’t in our brief. The suspense took place mainly in the shots of the girl being in the lift, the audience may be drawn to her and thinking where she is going. I think we did use conventions from real thriller films by using lots of different angles and close-ups to show expression and emotions.

At times I did forget to shoot the extra 5 seconds after each shot but I did remember to do it before each shot, this is something I need to make sure to do when I shoot my actual thriller entry. Overall I think the outcome was ok but it could be improved, I now know that good planning, organisation and teamwork can enable us to get a good scene.

Written by Shahida Choudhury

Match cut practice

In Friday's lesson, we had to practice filming and finish the editing. In the previous lesson, we had already planned what shots we would use in our sequence and we also learnt that we had to get enough shots even if they did not come out as we expected them to.We had to establish our practical filming by sticking to our plan without making any major changes as that would waste time and we also had time to edit it.
I was really pleased with the camera work in most of the shots as they came out as I expected it to.
The types of shots that worked well with the different shots we had taken were long shots, over the shoulder shots and close-ups. Not all of our shots went according to plan, therefore, we had to change some parts of our plan and this slowed us down abit. These changes had to happen when the girl was walking down the corrider and we were tracking the camera doing an over the shoulder shot. The camera was hand-held instead of on the tripod. We made alot of mistakes of the same shots so we had to do it over and over again until we were happy with the shot.
I have learnt alot about mise en scene; in order to make everything in ther frame right, you have to consider your options of the setting carefully. Our film was hard to do as we filmed it inside the college and there was alot of people walking past and disturbing us. I have realised you have to put in alot of time and effort to make sure your film comes out right. You also have to be patient and work together as a group and not independently. Now that I have experienced filming a sequence, I understand the many obstacles you have to go through,however, you just have to be prepared to work through it all. When we do our thriller, I want us to use our time wisely so that we reach our deadline and do not fall behing. We also need to make that the shot types we use are done properly.I am very glad we had this practice session as I learnt alot about filming and now I feel confident about the thriller we are about to produce.

Match cut lesson

In wednesday's lesson, I learnt about what a match cut is and how it works. The first half of the lesson, we were all given a sheet with a synopsis. I had to create a short sequence using 20 shots with a partner. We were then shown the actual video of the synopsis and compared it to the way in how I thought the synopsis would be. We were then shown the video once again to identify where the match cuts were. A match cut is where a shot is shown from one angle and the same shot shown from another angle. We were all given the same brief in which we had to follow. We were given this practice task to do, in order to prevent huge mistakes from happening when we do our real thriller. Also, so we all feel confident when we film. The brief was " A character opens a door, walks into the room,sits down opposite another chracter and they share a few lines of dialogue." A match cut had to be included in the sequence, therefore, we included two. The first match cut would be of the person in the lift where the person waits for the door to open and take the first part of the lift door opening using an over the shoulder shot. The next shot would be from outside the lift when the door opens properly and the person coming out of the lift. This should be at mid-shot level. The second match cut we would use will be when the person opens the door handle. This shot will be a close up of their hand holding the handle and opening it a tiny bit. The next shot will then be done again,except this time on the otherside of the door as we see the door handle moving and the door opening.

Practise filming match cut lesson

In today's lesson the tasks that my group was given is to do the practise filiming and also finish the editing. From the previous lesson we had planned out how we would practise filming by making sure the types of shots we would include and also gettin enough shots even if they did not come out as we expected it to. Today we had establish our practical filming by sticking to the plan and also had time to edit it.

I was pleased with the camera work in a lot of the shots as they had come out as i expected. There were couple of shots in which were very sucessful as i like the way in which the type of shots worked well with the different shots we had taken. These shots; in particular, with long shots, close ups, mid shots and over the shoulder shots. Although some of the shots did not work as we thought, and had to change some parts to the plan.

This occured when the girl was walking down the corridor and we were tracking with the camera doing it with a over the shoulder shot. This maybe due to the fact that the camera was hand held instead of putting it onto the tripod. So we had many difficulties and therefore made many mistakes of the same shot which we had to do it over and over again. This also happened when filiming in the lift and had spent more time in making sure that we were happy with the outcome.

I have learnt a lot about mise en scene like making sure that everything in the frame goes according to plan, as it is very hard when it comes to the setting, it is very hard to accomplish especially as we had set our film in the college.

As this is our practise film before doing our thrillers i have realised that you have to put in a lot of effort to make a good film and from today's session i can understand the many stages you have to go through to make sure the film had come out right. I also need to make sure that when it comes to the thriller making that every shot types and the frame of shots are done properly and use the amount of time we have to make the thriller wisely, so that we will be able to edit the film on time. As a result from this lesson we were not able to complete the whole of the editing.

match cut exercise lesson

In todays lesson, i learnt about what a match cut is. For the first part of the lesson i was given a sheet with a synopsis. Using the synposis i had to create a short sequence using 20 shots. I was then shown the video of the synopsis and compared it to the way in which i thought the synopsis sequence will go.
I was then shown the video again and this time i had to see where the match cuts were. A match cut is where a shot is shown from one angle and the same shot shown from a different angle.
Before starting my thriller i was told to do a practise one first, so that when it comes to the thriller i would be able to film more confidently and make sure problems don't occur. Therefore we all were given a same brief in which we all had to follow. A match cut had to be in the sequence. the brief was:

"A character opens a door, walks into the room, sits down opposite another character and they share a few lines of dialogue."

I started to plan the sequence of this brief, with a match cut in which i will actually include two. The first match cut would be of the person in the lift where the person waits for the door to open and take the first part of the lift door openin from the person's point of view (over the shoulder shot in the inside). I would then take a shot from the outside as the lift door opens properly and also the person stepping out of the lift. And this would be at a mid shot level.

The next match cut that lies my sequence will be as when the person opens the door handle this shot will be a close up of their hand holding the handle and opening it slightly. The shot will then be done again on the otherside of the door as we only see the door handle moving and the door opening.

Thriller

During today’s lesson I looked at the opening sequences of thriller films. I looked at the conventions of thriller films and the way it has an impact on audiences. I then looked at the way it uses techniques to engage the audience’s attention and to create tension and suspense. I looked at the camerawork, editing, sound, and mise en scene of each opening sequence and how they were used to create atmosphere and meaning in the opening of the thriller films.

I noticed how the camerawork in most thriller films often started with an establishing shot as it shows a clear view of everything in the mise en scene. Also it helps to create isolation and creepiness, and it makes the audience aware of the location of the film. Over the shoulder shots were used in most thriller films to create tension and to build atmosphere within the sequence. There were often extreme close up shots which was used to show the feelings and emotions of characters. This helped the audience have a good knowledge of the characters personality. Also there were often low angle shots and close up shots which helped create suspense and atmosphere.

I also noticed that mostly non-diagetic sound was used, and it often started with a low pitch and tone and then gradually it built to a high pitch and tone towards the end of the opening sequence, which made the audience tensed and want to continue watching the thriller.

I then looked at examples of previous media student’s thriller openings and looked at the sort of mise en scene they used. This helped me come up with ideas of the sort of mise en scene I could use for my own thriller. I then came up with realistic and natural mise en scenes as it would be easy for us to find the place and take shots. As a group we were discussing ideas for our thriller and we were also coming up with lots of different ideas of what kind of camera shots and sound we could use to help create tension and atmosphere.

openings of a film

In todays lesson, i looked over the openings of films. I started looking over at what method types are used to draw an audience onto a film. There are many methods that i have looked at like the types of shots including the establishing shot wich shoots at the whole scenery to give the audience an idea of where the film is set. The tones are also used at the beginning of a film which gradually starts to build up to get the audiences attention. Introducing characters helps draw audience's focus on the film, as they start wanting to know what the film will be about.

I then, was shown a documentary 'Watching' which is about film openings. Thomas Sutcliffe says that if the film don't catch attention at first, there is no point of watching the film. The beginning of films don't make the audience know enough or too little it insteads, leaves the audience to think what will happen next by knocking them off the seats or even grinds you into it, as you tend to remember it fondly. It starts of with a loud sound which awakes the audiences and want to start watching the film. Stanley Kauffmann described the classic opening as with the establishing shot as evrything comes into place.

Using this, Kyle Cooper brings a stark, ugly reality to the proceedings. The film Seven, illustrated the seven deadly sins to overwhelmingly graphic effect. On the other hand, Orson Welles wanted to achieve his opening of the film 'A touch of evil' with no credits and in black and white because that's where the colors of the characters, the location and ultimately the meaning of the movie are possible. Welles tended to use wide shots for all of his films, especially with the opening shot. He used cinematography and lighting in the film noir genre.

Film noir is the opening where it shows the ending of the film at the beginning this makes the audience wonder more about the film and ask questions to themselves of how it happened.

The film shinning was shown on the documentary which creates suspense as the use of child was manipulated, which makes it more effective as it was done really well.

In the second part of the lesson, i looked at other thriller opennings which gave me an idea for my own thriller of how to make it look real and also catch the audience's attention. With the examples of thrillers made by preivous students, i looked at the way the setting and location was used. I also looked at the camerawork, editing, lighting and the diegetic & non-diegetic sound. This showed that i had to make sure when i start to make my own thriller i take all these into action.