The Filming sessions

To produce our film we decided to film as much as we could at a time, for example we filmed the beginning of the sequence on one afternoon. we then went back to school uploaded it to the Mac's and then fully edited. but after doing this we then decided to re film this part of the opening. the changes made the second time around were to slightly change the location of filming in that we moved just up the road a bit more. this was due to the fact that we could see a few things in the wooded back drop that we didn't like i.e a sign.
For the session in the farm yard ruins we were undecided on where to actually film it. this is as we both had to different ideas of where we wanted to film. I personally wanted to film it in an historic barn where it just had the wall standing. But Josh wished film at an old farm yard which was much more recently derelict in that it had rubbish in a few place that we had to move to allow us to film.
After going view both locations we decided on Josh's location this is as on the day before had we allocate to film there was heavy ran this meaning to get to my location you had to walk through knee high mud. We managed to get the filming done relatively quick as we planned out exactly what we would do whilst at the location the week before at school.
After filming this second part of the opening sequence we up loaded the footage roughly ten days before half term. We managed to finish all the editing in lesson times by the end of term. With only the running over scene to put in that we had already allowed a slot for this footage to be placed.
During our first filming session in the woods we made a few decisions on that spot for example the types of shot i.e medium close-ups, medium long shots and long shots. I after looking back at our recorded footage we saw that we made a few wrong decisions this backing up our point to re film the first part of the sequence.

Editing

During the editing phase we had to insert a number of things such as the heart beat (this was adding tension) and the music. the editing also made the opening much more professional as we edited things such as the lighting when the production was set and the farm yard ruins. The two of us also edited in the basic things such as inserting in titles such as our names and the production company.
During the editing we tried to share the work load as often as possible this way no one would be doing more work then the other. We also tried to do this during the filming part of the production so that we shared the time of being on camera and then filming. Finally we also felt that it would be better and easier if it was just us acting in the film, this way we wouldn't have to rely on anyone to make a specific time/day during the filming and we could just do it our selves when we wanted.

What I had to change from the original ideas

During the filming of our film we had to stop filming for a number of reasons. The first being that when we tried to film the first part of the opening (getting ran over) the lighting was not the same therefore we had to wait until it was so. Another problem which occurred during the production part of the production was that has myself and Josh appeared in the film as clowns and we where wearing face paint we had to get the face paint exactly the same other wise it would be easily recognisable that filming had taken place on a different day.

As we used my car to help film the opening massively, for example getting to locations and also as you can see in the hit and run scene. Production came to a stand still when someone crashed into my car and wrote it off. This meaning we could use original story board ideas such showing Josh in the boot or a close up of the door handle.

A final hiccup in the production and post production period is that both myself and Josh are not always in lessons due to clashes this meaning we have to do work on our own and in most cases the other would not agree with the changes so we would have to go over the whole thing again taking out any slight changes that have been made.

Why have I.....

Why have we decided to choose a film production?
We have chosen to do a film production as we feel that it will challenge our technical abilities and organisation skills. Throughout the production process we have had to delay shooting due to lighting conditions, in the way that we decided that we wanted the lighting to be dull and gloomy to fit mood of the film. Where as if the lighting conditions were bright and sunny it would send a sense of happiness, and the film is not trying to sent this mood.

Why I have chosen this genre?
We have chosen to do the genre of Psychological thriller as both myself and my working partner both like these types of films for example American Psycho, Straw Dogs and of course the classic which is Silence of the Lambs. So we feel that it will be one of the easiest genres to look as professional as possible.

Why choose the locations we have?
We chose the two locations as we feel it was the best settings for the genre. The first setting for the film was on a road in the woodland, we decided on this setting as we felt it would generate atmosphere for the viewer. Also the lighting for the opening in all was quiet dull and over cast this sending across a gloomy feeling. For the second part of the opening we decided to film in some disserted farm buildings. This was as we felt it would spooky feeling. I also think that the point of view shots from the victim also does this.

Film opening evaluations from films in the same genre

The Silence of the lambs is ones of the most popular and dramatic films ever let alone just in this genre. It is directed by Jonathan Demme, he has also worked on the set of The Truth about Charlie, Storefront Hitchcock and Jimmy Carter Man of Plains. The films itself is about a young FBI cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims.
The opening of the film is set in numerous locations with an FBI agent being set a task to find a killer. During the opening of the film there is a voice over kind of like a narrator explaining what the task ahead of the agent is, the voice over used is also soft yet slightly croaky this is also making the opening sequence gripping and wanting the you to see more. There is also dramatic music this is adding to the tension of the opening sequence. Also the lighting is adding to the tension as you don’t see day light all you see is the inside of the physiological hospital and the agent travelling to around to different locations in a car at night there is also a number of shots with hand held camera views. In doing this it adds to the anxiety of what the film ahead will lead on to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbcJM3WrElU&feature=related



The second film opening I watched was that of American Psycho. This film was based on the story of Valerie Solanas.
The plot of the film is where a wealthy New York investment banking executive hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he escalates deeper into his illogical, gratuitous fantasies.
The opening of the film is all set within the home of banker(psycho). It is actually quite strange as he is going through his mornings routine, you can tell he is a perfectionist as he goes through a number of things for example work outs and then puts on a number of facial cleansers. But there is one part in the opening of the film where he talks about himself it is ‘I have all the characteristics of a human being, flesh, blood, skin, hair. But not a single clear identifiable emotion except from greed and disgust.’ I feel from this he is telling you he is normal expect from the end of the quote except from greed and disgust it tells us he feels normal apart from having greed and disgust this meaning he could be greedy over others and therefore taking life and disgust in the way he kills.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-yoMEZXnbQ





The third film I analysed was the films Straw Dogs (1971). The plot of the film is where a Dustin Hoffman who plays a regular American mathematician, who gets into some trouble with local bullies. He is made fun of and then his wife is raped. When they attack his home, he fights back. His outbreak of violence is extreme.
The opening of this film is set in a rural English country side . the opening doesn’t not tell you that there will be anything violent to occur to the film. But there is one thing that could lead to some sort of violence and that is David (the mathematician) buys an ex poacher trap, but apart from this the opening does not seem to lead to any violence. The only sound in the opening scene is that of birds singing. From the opening of this film I cannot see how it could lead to violence, and this is why I would want to carry on viewing the film so I could see how it all spans out to a thriller.
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=JB6SS6P3