CHANGE OF PLAN!

Our original idea for a film opening is too complicated and would be hard to film so we have come up with a new idea!

Production Meetings (Based On First Treatment)

Here we discussed things such as sound, credits, location, plot and actors/characters.

First Draft Treatment

The film will be about a group of archeologists who discover an artifact they have been hunting for years. When they eventually find it deep underground, one of them goes out to grab it and a demonic scream is heard and it goes pitch black. You see the same man who reached out to grab the artifact wake up on the street at night with bloodstains on his shirt and something in his left hand which rolls of out of camera. His hand is covered in markings and symbols which he can't make out. Sirens are heard and voices of pedestrians. Over his body a detective (the protagonist) will appear and this detective will try and solve what happened here. The man is treated for any injuries. 2 weeks later he finds himself put under 24/7 surveillance because the markings on his hand aren't normal and is to be studied by other scientists and archeologists. The detective demands to see the man again but the scientists say he is sleeping but the detective pushes them to let him see him. When the detective walks into the room and asks them to turn on the light and when they do he can see symbolic writing all over the wall written in blood identical to the symbols on the man's left hand. Before the detective can say anything, the lights go out and another demonic scream is heard. Just like the man, the protagonist wakes up on the street at night with the same sort of markings on his hand. This sets the film in  motion for the detective to try and figure out why this has happened and what the symbols mean before he ends up like the previous victim of the artifact.

Opening Scene Survey Results

Media Film Survey

1.        What is your favourite genre?

..................................................

2.        Would you like the theme tune to play in the opening credits?

Yes          No

3.        Would you like the opening credits to play first and then the movie start or have the movie playing whilst the opening credits are popping up?

Credits first          

Movie and credits together

4.        Do you prefer the credits follow the colour scheme and shape of the movie?

Yes          No

5.        Do you like when the opening shot is an Aerial shot of the city/town/setting?

Yes          No

6.        Would you prefer the introduction to the movie keeps you guessing?

Yes          No

7.        Do you prefer diegetic or non-diegetic sounds for the opening scene?

Non-diegetic

Diegetic

Both

8.        Do you like long opening scenes or when events progress quickly?

Long opening scenes

Progressing quickly

9.        Do you like it when text pops up to show the name of the place and time of day?

Yes          No

10.     Do you prefer the credits to simply pop up or perform some sort on animation as it appears on the screen?

Simply appear

Animated credits

Existing Product Analysis

We are going to create an adventure mystery thriller hybrid. The film will get the audience asking questions such as ‘where did the artifact come from?’, ‘what does the artifact do?’, ‘what kind of people are after the artifact?’ and so on. Films such as Indiana Jones, National Treasure and Angels and Demons. These films are what we are trying to model our film around however more mystery than action adventure.

The majority of the film would be watched by the audience through a series of flashbacks. The flashbacks will be triggered by the protagonist being interrogated and forced to remember his events starting from how he came into contact with the artifact. A good example of this method in use is from the film Slum dog Millionaire. The audience sees the protagonists past and come to realize how he won the TV game show. Likewise, the audience will see flashbacks that will answer questions relating to the storyline and the final outcome.

We would like our credits animated in some way that relates to the spooky and mysterious effect we are trying to achieve. Examples of this are charmed and Supernatural. They both have smoke mixed in with their text used for the opening credits.


















Indiana Jones :

We have chosen to model the idea of involving artifacts from this film because in our film we use one as the main source of attention.

Silence Of The Lambs:

We have chosen to model the idea of having an interrogation scene. The cannibal in Silence Of The Lambs is questioned in the film to reveal answers and help progress through the storyline.

Se7en:

We have chosen to model the idea of using symbols and other text flashing up during our opening credits.

Codes and Conventions

We will conform to things such as:

·         Smoke effects relating to mystery

·         Clues and Evidence

·         Tough voice for interrogator

·         Flashbacks

·         Victim/Protagonist feels weak

·         Dark rooms for interrogation

·         Blood on protagonists shirt

·         Pictures of object of attention around the protagonist

·         Not being able to see the interrogator’s face

·         Bright light on protagonist’s face

·         People fighting for possession of object of attention

We are not subverting from anything as such because we think it works well without having to subvert to anything. Although not subverting, the genre of mystery thriller it is still a popular genre and the stereotypical things are what make it really good in the first place.

Preliminary Task

At the start of this prject we were asked to complete a preliminary task. In this preliminary task we had to include such camera techniques as 'shot/reverse shot', '180 degree rule' and 'match on action'. We aslo had to include someone walking into a room, talking to someone and walking back out. We decided to go with a crime thriller look on our preliminary task. As it had speech, we decided to make a script. I filmed the preliminary task and edited it.

Here is our script for the preliminary task.

Preliminary task script:

*= directions

Italics: speech

*walks through entrance

*Enters room with Robert waiting

*sits down opposite Robert

Nathan : hello boss

Robert: Nathan, welcome

Nathan: Im sorry but… there were complications with the job… it didn’t, exactly go to plan

*Robert sighs

Robert: Nathan, Nathan, Nathan. In this organisation, we do not tolerate failure!

*pause

Robert: do you understand?

Nathan: Im sorry, it wont happen again! I promise you!

*Robert leans forward

Robert: I know you wont, NOW GET OUT!

Nathan: Yes sir

*gets up and leaves

Here is our finished preliminary task.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! My name is Sachin Ishmael and I am a current post 16 student at Harris Crystal Palace studying Media. I am working with Robert Kerr, Annas Elfarsi and Nathan Larkin. We have been asked to make an opening scene lasting 2 minutes and has to involve certain camera techniques. From here on you will see all our ideas about our opening scene. I hope you find this enjoyable!

NOTE: Some videos may not have very good sound quality so please have your volume turned up! Thank you!