Thursday 24 February 2011

Film Project: Editing

During editing we encountered a problem with one of the flashbacks, where we planned to desaturate all of the colour except for the red colour of the lips. We chose to do this effect to show that the person speaking was a woman and the colour represents the love and blood; themes which run throughout our opening. It also fits in with the red colour of the title, which appears at the end. The programme we are using didn't include the correct tool we needed to use this effect and so we had to use a different programme to edit this one clip and then move it back across into Final Cut Express. Instead we used Final Cut Pro which allowed us to use an advanced colour corrector. This meant that we could isolate the colour red on our clip and desaturate all the other colours.
We also managed to find sound effects to a couple of our clips, including the sound of a match lighting up and are still deciding between different footstep sounds.

The clip that we edited in Final Cut Pro:

Sunday 20 February 2011

Film Project: Film Name

We have completed parts of the editing and it is going really well, we have got some really good shots together and are interlinking really well. However at the end of our film intro we are going to have a black screen with the name of the movie appear, but once again we are having trouble with choosing a name for the movie. We wanted a name that is not to obvious because our movie is original and special, at first we had a few names that floated about, names like 'She loves me not', 'Obsession' and 'Deception'. We all like these names, but none we loved. We thought 'She loves me not' seemed a bit soppy and didnt link with the theme and genre of the movie. However I like the one word film titles, but i wasnt keen on these either was the group, we thought 'Deception' was too similiar to the new block buster 'Inception' and 'Obession' did link well with the story line, but the rest the group didnt feel the same and we were sure to make an anonymous decision. After a few names we came up with 'Possesion' and every one was happy with this. So our film is called 'Possesion'

Thursday 17 February 2011

Film Project: Filming Completion

All our filming has finally been finished after a few interuptions and im really pleased with what we have got and achieved. All the filming is on the editing suite and ready to be edited, so the next stage of our process to get all the transitions and edits together and looking good

Tuesday 15 February 2011

Film Project: Second day of shooting

Now it is time for our second outing to film the second section of our Film Intro. We meet in the same place at the same time, just as it was getting dark. Tonight we was filming, the killing so I was prepared to get stabbed and shot.

As we was walking to our scene to film we noticed that the lampost we filmed under for the smoking sequence had been removed. This was very random, as you dont get a lampost being moved everyday, in a worried flush we thought our movie had been ruined but after a few reinsuring words we put our heads together and found a similiar place to film from, it was also under a lamp post. Me and the group believe it is good subsitute and hope it is not to noticable.

So without wasting time we got straight into filming, the first shot was of Sam grabbing my shoulder and stabbing me. We done a few shots of Sam approaching me flicking his knife and stabbing me in the side, so it looks believable and i think this was achieved. After this I had a great idea of the ciggarette i was smoking would hit the floor in slow motion, to signify i have been stabbed.

Our intro has a few flash backs, so from filming before we used that. The next shot was filming me hit the floor, the same camera angle as the ciggarette drop. At this point a Police car had stop near by and we was looking pretty suspicious at this moment so we paused filming for a minute until they drove away. Another flashback comes in after me hitting the floor. Then the low angle shot of Sam pulling a gun out and shooting me. Done!

I was pleased with this session, even though we had a slight hitch it showed that together we can figure out something and make the film work.

Tuesday 8 February 2011

Film Project: Filming in school

Along with filming in Loughton we filmed at school, in one or the offices and in the corridoor. Both of the flashbacks were filmed in school, the first being when I 'The Victim' meets Holly 'The Victim Lover' in an office, supposing to be one of the offices in the business building. The second filming is of the mouths saying "I love you" and "I love you too" this was simply filmed in the corridoor as there is no background just zoomed into the mouth.

Filming in school was nice and easy, as it was easy to organise and we were near to any facilities we needed. I think we made the right decision with filming in school.

Monday 7 February 2011

Film Project: Changes in the process

After editing the first section of filming we was very pleased, but there was a slight hitch as the lighting was very awkward to edit as it was so dark, but after a bit of concentrating on this we finally cracked it. But in our storyboard we had a shot of a silhouette, the 'Killer' stabbing the 'Victim' on the wall, but after filming the other day we had a look around at where can create this silhouette but it was looking doubtful.

However in a media lesson we all put our heads together and decide to ditch the silhouette would be to hard to create and if we did it wouldn't be as good as we thought. instead of this shot we came up with a new few shots we would make the stabbing visible and see the knife enter and me hitting the floor.

After drawing this idea down, we were all happy in the change of storyline and think it would be better more iconic shot of me hitting the floor.

Sunday 6 February 2011

Film Project: First day of shooting

So the day has come to start filming our intro, I was really excited to start and make something real and original. I pleased with our idea and what our concept was about. Our intro is filmed at the top of Loughton, near Zizzis and Staples Road School, It was my idea to have the film based here because i used to go school down the road and i know the area well, its also a good setting, dark and deserted. We walked to the top of hill to get a good establishing shot of the city, I think its a great shot to grab the audience.

After this shot we walked back down the hill to film the walking scene of Sam. We set up down a quite road and made several shots of Sam walking to the 'Victim.' This part was difficult to get a good part with good lighting, because it was so dark where we was, but after 4 shots of Sam walking we was happy.

The next section we needed to film was me and the smoking scene. This part is very iconic so we had to get it right, I filmed walking out from a house and then and over the shoulder shot, over Sam's shoulder of me. This identifies that it is me he is after.

The next part is the smoking scene which i think is really original as its not normal for students to be smoking, by the way i dont really smoke! This scene has a variation of shots, low angle and tracking, The rest of the group came up with some cool shots for this as it had to let the audience into the character and let them know a little about him. This was under a lampost so we had good lighting.

This was all the filming we got done today as it was getting late. I was very pleased with what we got done today, and i cant wait to get in the editing booth!

Saturday 5 February 2011

Film Project: Checklist for filming

Max:
Formal clothing (Blazer, tie)
Cigarettes
Briefcase
Matches

Sam:
Formal clothing (Blazer, tie)
Knife
Gun

Holly:
Casual/Smart clothing
Red Lipstick

Thursday 3 February 2011

Film Project: Production Company name

We have to create our own production company in our film so it looks original. however the production studio name was a slight 'red light' in our process of the Film Introduction. As simple as it sounds, we coudlnt think of a name that would suit our film and sound cool really. At first a few ideas flew about such as "Two Ducks Full" this was a silly one Sam said of the top of his head, it was good but not suiting for our concept. After this we decided to make the name only one word, we thought its cooler and sounds better if you can say it quickily. After a few suggestions, we had the name "Hollow Productions" we all thought it was suiting as its quite dark and different. We all agreed and we stuck with it. Our production company is "Hollow Productions

Tuesday 1 February 2011

Film Project: Preliminary Sequence (what was learnt)

From doing the Preliminary Sequence alot was learnt and many skills were improved. The main things we learnt were how to work around the camera, the shots we were unsure how to do. Main skill that was learnt was how to edit, we now know how to work around Final Cut Express, the editing the software we are using, we know how to put in transitions and input font. There is still alot more features to learn about Final Cut Express, but we are defiantly on the right track and will be able to use it to its full ability.


The shots we used our sequence were shots such as a low angle, panning, over the shoulder. These are all shots that we will be using in our actually opening sequence. We also caused tension with the red herring with the scarf, it was not so clear but i think it was a good idea and showed our cinema knowledge.

Film Project: Preliminary Sequence



Here is the preliminary sequence which me and my group made. Preliminary means prior to or preparing for the main event, in this case our Film Intro. We had a go with the camera to find out how to use it and work the buttons so when we came to making the Introduction we wont waste time. It was also to look and film different shots such the reverse shot, steady cam, panning, low angles and tracking all shots that will help us make a good film.

For our sequence we choice a sort of city workers theme, two high status city slickers arrange a meet. Then an entrance of someone, we are not sure if the scarf is going to be used to strangle or put on him. It turns out to be the workers secretary and this causes a red herring and we expect something bad to happen