Friday, 24 June 2011

Organisation of Location

For our trailer we've decided to film it in one of our houses, because by having a murder come into someone house it gives a sense of breaking someones security and intrusion.
Below are pictures that I toom of the different locations in the house of shooting.


The reason why we are going to shoot one of the scenes in the kitchen is because from here you can get a clear view of the back garden, which in the trailer the murderer has been in.
This photo is of the front door in the house, this is where we will shoot the part where the neighbour is at the door. When we shoot were going to do from both points of view of the charcters. the reason we choose to have the neighbour come to the door is because thats what neighbours would usually do if they saw someone in their neighbours garden.







This photo is of the view from the downstairs hallway of the stairs. This is where we are planning to shoot the mother (Sam) running up the stairs to check on her kids.




This room is where the children's room will be. Because we aren't going to use real children we are going to place pillows underneath the covers to give the illusion that there are children there. For the shoot we will make sure that the room is set up as if its a childrens room. To do this we'll have some small lights on as children don't like to sleep in the dark, also i will have teddy's and toys in their to suggest its a childrens room.




This is a photo of the hallway leading to the room which will be Sam's room. This hallway will be shot slowly, and the door from the Sam's room will slowly open. The reason why were having this bedroom to shot is because its directly behind the character after she checks on her kids. When something is behind someone, it makes it seem more daunting to the audience and character.






For each of the locations, we will set it up so that the lighting is suitable and also that any items are removed which are not going to make sense with our plot. For example pictures of family members of the current household, ect.

Thursday, 23 June 2011

Teaser Trailer Script

Once we decided what our storyline was, me and Danielle went off and wrote our scripts for the trailer. Below is my version of the script.

(Click to Enlarge)





Then we both read each other scripts and exchanged idea's about what we wanted in the final trailer to make it the best it could be.


This is the Final Script:




Opening Titles
Voice Over:
The city has been warned, there is a murderer on the loose. Police are cautioning all citizens to stay in their houses.
Sam:
Matthew! Screaming
(Whilst voice over of the radio and the character Sam are being played the production titles on the screen)
(Screen goes to black. Music thuds. Scene cuts to Sam on the phone)
Detective Fletchman:
This is detective Fletchman, I'm so sorry for your lose, were gonna catch the man who did this'

Sam:
Long pause Not if I find him first
Slams the phone down next to the picture of the couple
(Music thuds. Screen fades to black, titles appear)
(Cuts to night time, heavy knocking sound effect is played)
Sam walks to the door (shots fading in and out)
Norris:
Sam, is everything ok? Frantic and out of breath
Sam:
Yeah, Norris why? Sighing sounding annoyed and impatient
Norris:
Don’t want to alarm you but I think I just saw something in your back yard...
Sam:
The kids
Runs to the kitchen to find the window open (creaking floorboards)
Sam Scrambles around the kitchen (screen fades to black) picks up knife
Runs up the stairs
Opens the door (music stops)
Sam sighs in relief as she sees her kids are fine
Backs out of the room closing the door behind her (Creaking bedroom door, music begins)
Sam slowly walks to the door, the screen goes black. (Film titles appear)

Tuesday, 21 June 2011

Treatment

Blurb:



Sam was a normal wife, with a normal husband and kids.



Until one night changed everything.



She was the only witness to the terrible murder of her beloved husband.



And now, she is out for revenge.



Character summary:



Sam Thompson is a mother and wife in her 20s, with two very small children, Rosie and Matt, and a husband Matthew in the police force. They live in a small town where nothing really happens. She is an estate agent trying to earn her living by selling rich people her dream houses. Her mother and father live nearby, regularly taking care of the kids while Sam and Matthew go on their ‘date nights’. Sam can be very feisty and usually gets into arguments with her husband over his job, saying its too risky. She can stand her own, and will do anything to protect her family.



Norris is the nosey neighbour, he is always wanting to know what goes on with everyone, not satisfied with his own life, he needs to know what everyone else is up to, so that he can pass judgement on it all. He frequently looks into the Thompson's back garden to see what they are doing. Mainly the kids playing but sometimes he might hear Sam and Matthew argue from the kitchen, if he listens hard enough.






Storyline:


Sam and Matthew are getting the kids ready for school. Packing their lunch boxes in a much synchronised way. Sam reminds Matthew to be back from work in time for their dinner. They have been going through marital problems and it was suggested that they should go on regular 'date nights' without the kids to rekindle their love.
Cuts to night, and the dinner scene. They are very dressed up and seem to be enjoying each other’s company. They talk about the kids and their plans for when they retire.
They are in the car on the way home, driving on a long road with no street lights, very secluded and by the woods, quite a spooky place to be if alone.
Radio alerts that there is a murderer on the loose; Matthew turns the radio up, focusing all his attention on that. Cuts to Sam screaming 'Watch out!' as there is a man jumped in front of the car crossing the road. Matthew slams on the breaks and watches the man cross the road; something in the man's pocket alarms Matthew and catches the lights of the car. Matthew then says to Sam that he is 'just gonna see what the man's problem is'. Sam gets very worried and tries to convince Matthew to stay in the car but he says he won't be long. He gets out and follows the man into the woods. Sam is getting very anxious after a couple minutes and gets out of the car, shutting the door quietly. She follows her husband into the woods, and gets her phone out of her pocket to give her light. She sees two men punching each other and fighting. She runs over screaming Matthew's name gets up behind Matthew and sees blood on his shirt. He falls back into her arms, she cradles him in her arms and sees a stab wound in his chest. She looks up to find the killer is gone. She screams out Matthews name and starts to cry. Swearing to Matthew that she will 'get him' (the killer). Repeating that same line over and over again. The sky then goes white and cuts to 'a few days later'.

It is the funeral scene in a church, some of the police force is there, and so are the children and family and friends. One of the sergeants makes a speech about Matthew, very moving; Sam is not crying just staring into space, in deep thought.
Cuts to wake back at the family home. People keep coming up to Sam to offer their condolences and saying they are 'sorry for your loss'. Sam retorts back to one of them, 'not as sorry as the son of bitch who did this'. Everyone is silent and starts looking at each other in a curious way, for it the first time she has spoken throughout the whole day. She flips out and orders everyone to leave, shouting, scaring the children. Sam's mother comes up to her and tells her to calm down and brings her up to Sam's bedroom, where she lays her down to sleep.
As the night falls, Sam is still lying there in the same black dress and seems to be having a nightmare; she calls out Matthew's name and is suddenly sweating. She turns to look at the time and it is 3 am, she is no longer tired. She goes into the kid's bedroom to check on them, to find her mother sitting on a chair at the side of the bed asleep with a children's story book in her lap. Sam stands at the door for a few more moments; she turns and goes to have a shower. As she steps out she sees the two toothbrushes in the holder, reminding her of her husband. Memories are everywhere in the house, as she goes in their bedroom she sees the picture of them on their wedding day. She walks over to the picture and holds it in her arms as she goes back to bed and whilst holding it she softly cries.





The next morning she reluctantly goes downstairs into the kitchen to find her mother putting things in a box. ‘What you doing mum?’ she asks walking towards her, her mother replies by saying ‘Oh you’re up, how you doing this morning honey?’ Avoiding the question, Sam asks her again, she walks closer to find her mother packing up Matthew’s things, including his ‘Best Dad in the World’ mug, she grabs this off her telling her to leave his stuff alone. The mother tells her she needs to go back to work and move on with her life, for the children’s sake. Sam then says ‘not till I find him.’
A couple days later the Detective Fletchman (one who made the speech at the funeral) calls Sam to tell her to keep safe as she is the only witness. He says he is sorry for her loss, telling her what a great member of the force he was, and that he will do all that he can to find the man who did it. There is then a pause, as Sam says, ‘not if I find him first’. She then hangs up the phone and leave it by the picture of Matthew.
Scene cuts to night-time. Sam has just put the kids to bed and is going down the stairs when the door bell rings. There is then a loud bang on the door, she gets quite scared. She slowly walks towards the door, with the focus on the door handle; she then swings the door open to find her nosey next door neighbour Norris at the door, dripping wet as it is raining outside. He is quite out of breath and looks worried, he asks if she is alright and then says he saw a dark figure in her back garden. Without saying a word she runs to the kitchen to find the window wide open and muddy footprints all over the floor, leading up to the stairs. She then looks up to the ceiling and hears creaking in the floorboards. She hushes to herself ‘the kids’ and scrambles around looking for a knife. She grabs one and runs up the stairs, storms into her children’s bedroom to find them safely tucked up in bed. She sighs relief and slowly walks out to close the door. She turns around and sees her bedroom door creak open. She slowly walks towards it.
Sam walks in the room, finds the window open, sighs relief. Walks to close the windows, as she reaches out to close it a gloved hand grabs her. The two of them start to fight; there is fast paced camera movements and music. She grabs the knife she previously put in her pocket and threatens the killer to leave them alone. He starts to laugh at her, very sinister, she then says, ‘you have no idea what I am capable of’. She is on the floor, she stabs him in his foot, he yells out. Then there is a sudden siren coming from outside, he kicks her in the face and she tries to grab him but he limps away out of the window.
Baby cries from other room, she runs in to see if they are ok. Police storm into the house. She runs down the stairs and screams at the policeman shouting ‘I had him!’ Policeman then walks to her to try to console her, and says if there is anything he left behind, she looks up and says ‘the knife’, the policeman follows her upstairs and where the knife had once been is no longer there. Sam says ‘he took it; the son of a bitch took it.’
For the kids safety the police then say that they are going to take the kids away from Sam. Sam says ‘You can’t take away my kids, just give me one night with them so I can say goodbye’ and the police say ‘we’ll be by in the morning to pick up Rosie and Matt’. Once the police leave Sam turns frantic packing some of her and the kid’s things. Rosie asks ‘Where are we going mommy’, and Sam says ‘Some where safe’. Sam and the kids manage to leave before the police come in the morning.
Sam and the kids are in the car and they drive through the same road where her husband got murdered. She tries to concentrate on driving but it’s too overwhelming so she pulls over. She leaves her kids in the car as she goes to where her husband was murdered. She can’t help herself because she needs to see it again. However the area is taped off for investigation, she rips the tape and proceeds to the spot and falls to her knees and cries. She then stops when she hears the car engine start; she runs through the woods and catches her foot on a branch which makes her limp. Limping she walks back to the road in a panic and see’s the car driving away with her kids in it still. She screams and runs after the car. She stops out of breath and feeling hopeless as she lost sight of her car. She then is standing in the middle of a road; a car in the distance is driving towards her. Determined she starts walking towards it and pushes her hand out in front of it to stop. The car stops and she runs over to the driver side and yells ‘get out of the car’, the driver refuses so Sam punches him through the window and drags him out of the car into the road.
Sam gets in the car and is now speeding up to 100mph after the murderer. She starts to catch up with the car, the murderer seeing this then drives directly into the lake. Sam then gets out of the stolen car and runs towards the lake and jumps in after her kids. Underwater shots show Sam swimming to get her kids out of the car, the murderer is not in the front anymore, but Sam still tries to save her kids.
She manages to retrieve the kids and is swimming back to the surface with them both in her arms, until the murderer then grabs her leg and drags her and the kids down. Rosie is screaming whilst Sam is struggling to get out of the hold of the murderer. The camera goes to the foot and reveals the stab wound. You then see this murderer still drag the family further and further down into the lake. Rosie is screaming and Sam is crying, the baby Matt is already unconscious and is lying in his mother’s arms. The camera is now looking down at the lake as the family drift downwards; the screen then fades to black.
The police then turn up after tracking Sam’s car with ambulances and detectives. The camera then pans outward to a bird’s eye view of the lake and the police cars. A news clip voice over is played which reveals that Sam killed her husband after at their dinner she found out that he was having an affair. The police were unaware that she was the culprit in this ongoing investigation, family and friends have reported they knew nothing about Sam’s mental issues. This investigation ended when in the early hours of this morning Mrs Thompson and her two kids bodies were found in the local lake. Investigators say that she drove her car into the lake, drowning herself and her two kids aged 3 and 1 year old. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the family. This is a tragic event and has shocked the nation.

Thursday, 16 June 2011

Convention of the Thriller Genre

We have decided to make a thriller film teaser trailer. From the research and anaylsis we have carried out, we've found that the thriller genre was the most exciting and intriguing genre for the audience to go to watch. It will make the audience want to know what happens and the teaser trailer will excite the audience and give them a sense of what's to come. We will use music, camera shots and mise-en-scene to build tension and create an experience for the audience.

After coming up with the genre, we decided that to fully get this genre across to the audience, that we should research into the typical conventions of thriller movies.

Conventions of a thriller genre:


  • Crime or a murder case.


  • Fast paced.


  • creep music.


  • real life situations.

  • Characters- murders, criminials, innocent people, police man.


  • Camera shots are fast paced and dramatic.


  • Sudden movements.


  • Lighting is dark and gritty.


  • Involves a chase of some sort.


  • Blackouts are often used in editing.


  • Storylines are life threatning.



We will aim to use all/some of these conventions in order to convey to thriller genre well.

Tuesday, 14 June 2011

Research into Different Teaser Trailers-Thriller

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1000212761/
Buried



This is the sponsoring company for the production of the film.



First that we see of the focusing character, the green light on his face, is quite a menacing colour, implying something is going on with him and that he could be quite suspicious.



This shows the name of the character letting us into who he is. The line forming underneath his name is a great way to emphasise who he is.



The colour has changed since he got a lighter to warmer tones on his face, showing intensity and that there might be some hope.



This shows the numbers list on a phone, showing that he has contact. Unrecognisable numbers, this could mean he doesn't know who is calling him and why the phone is there.



A medium close up shot of his arm and watch. This showing he may be time conscious or that he is running out of time.



Showing he is filming a video with the foreground in focus and the background out of focus. Because he is filming a video on the phone, it shows desperation and that he may not get out of the situation.



This medium close of his face shows the struggle and frustration in his face. The blue light on his face now highlights him very well, making him more clear to see, the light is most likely from the phone.



The fire starting in the coffin is very dangerous, having the audience on the edge of their seats. Wanting to know what is going to happen and how he is going to get out of this one.





This creates an interesting effect with his face on the lines. The lines could represent coffins, in which he is trapped in, so the image of his face on the lines, could show he is trapped.




This shows another character, first time we see someone else. This other character is a woman who looks very distressed and is only appearing on the phone screen.



This shows the name of the main character, as we haven't been able to see his face all that well so far, it could be great for the audience to know exactly who the star is.



This effect again of using the lines, which may represent coffins, has the film title in it. This could be meeting the audience's expectations because they have information about what the film is called.



This time the lines are horizontal as opposed to vertical, this has the image of Ryan Reynolds lying down, and the director's name embedded in the lines, showing it all coming together, and the name of the director.





Finally showing information about when the film comes out, so that when the audience watch this trailer they are fully aware of when it comes out, so that they can see it.

Research into Different Teaser Trailers-Comedy



The Hangover: Part II



Opens with the sponsoring titles, Warner Bros Pictures


Then with the production company, Legendary Pictures


Opening shot is a black screen with white block writing 'In 2009' this makes us remember the first part to it and reminds the audience of when it came out.


'They said...' implies the critics that reviewed the film, which was a huge success.


This shot is a long shot of a corridor, in a grotty looking place, with a quote from a newspaper reviewing the film. Before the quote appears it is just s a shot of the background image, giving insight to the location.



Next shot is similar, but the location has changed to a long shot of a messy room, this gives off the impression that something has happened. Again the screen appears with another quote form a magazine.





This shot is more of a mid close shot of the side of bed, with a old looking radio and a big cockroach. This makes it look very grungy and dirty. As if they are not in a nice suite like in the first film.


Nest shot is a long shot of a bathroom with a very dirty looking sink.This time there are three quotes, very short, but still making an impact.



This low level ground shot is of three men's legs and a small monkey walking down the street. The impact this makes on the audience could be humorous. The ground is sand implying that they are in an exotic location.




The camera tilts up to a long shot of the three men, which are the main characters in the first film. All the leading up to seeing the characters could be great for the effect on the audience, they may cheer or be happy to see the familiar faces. The text on the screen is 'The Wolfpack' which is a famous line form the first film.



 By saying 'is Back' the audience could be happy and then be relieved to know that it will similar to the first installment.




The screen goes to black as someone walks in front of the camera. This effect is as though we as the audience are watching from a distance and are in the same place as them. The shot then returns to them as one of the characters is looking away from the camera and another completely turning his head away. This effect is that that they are acting as if the camera is not there, and we as the audience are onlookers in the street. With the title of the film up on screen it is meeting the expectations of the audience.




It then cuts to a scene of the main characters in a room, all sitting on the ground in a hallway. They all look exhausted and as if they have been through a lot. This shows the audience that there will be some adventure happening.



There is then a mid shot of two of the characters, one of them with a shaven head, who originally had a full of hair, making it very humorous for the audience. And another with the little monkey on its shoulder, insinuating that the monkey will play a big part in the film.


Shot then goes to the other main character who looks very strained and as if he in pain, which could be funny to the audience, knowing that something is going to happen to make them like this.


The next shot is of a mid shot of the three characters with information about the film. This is something we will include in the teaser trailer, the date it comes out. The target audience for this trailer is an American audience because they choose to say Memorial Day instead of 30th May. For our own teaser trailer we will try to make the audience more open and varied.


Research Into Different Trailers- Action

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2859506201/
Transformers: Dark of the Moon Teaser Trailer





Production titles of company that sponsors the film


Opening scene, dark tone to it, of a road with the city shot in the background, there seems to be mayhem going on on the road.


The shot fades to black, this is effect something that would be could to include in our own trailer. It creates suspense.



First time shot of a character, the main character Sam, in a car with a mid shot of him turning his head. In front of the car in the background there is some chaos, because he is in the foreground it makes the audience's eyes draw to him. He looks worried, and with his eyes focused up the audience will want to see what is behind him and what he is looking at.


Screen goes to back with the iconic font of the 'TRANSFORMERS' logo with the date the film is released. Because it has a shot of its own, the audience may think that it is very important and quite dramatic.

There is then a shot of someone falling out of what looks like an aeroplane. It seems as though there is a part of an aeroplane broken off so this adds a sense of danger to the scene.
It is a wide long shot of the rest of the city below, and the sky, with the men and aeroplane in the foreground.


The next two shots flow together. There is a collision of two cars that make a big explosion, it is along shot of the cars with building at the back, implying it is in a normal area of town. The explosion makes a hug impact on the trailer.




The shots fade in and out to create a suspension of what is going to happen.
The two cars collide and they turn into the transformers. This would be great for the audience to see so that they know they are back.

Shot goes to one of the transformers, Bumblebee. This was a beloved character in the first two films so the audience watching the teaser trailer might be happy that the character is back in the third installment.



Screen fades to black, with the word 'EARTH' in the same font as before.
This is something that might be good for our own teaser trailer because it would be great for building suspense, and for including information about the film.




Shot goes to an action clip of cars blowing up, this intensifies the teaser trailer, so that the audience know something big is happening



The same title work comes up, with black background and title, 'GOES DARK' this is effect after the shot just fades to black.


This is a bird's eye view shot, panning down onto the same level. This gives an insight into the magnitude of the chaos.


Low level shot, battle scene and destruction. This associates the audience with the Action Genre.
Mid shot of an explosion in the bakground and a young, attractive woman looking out into the distance. The action and the attractive woman appeals to the male audience.


Low level shot which angles up slightly at the Transformer dstructing the city. Creates a sense of tradgedy and action. Explosion shot just after pervious shot of the Transformer being blown away in an explosion. This intrigues the audience to want to see if the Transformers win or not.


Long shot of the desturction that the Transformers have caused. The shot has police cars, taxi's and fire engines with the large Transformer. this shit shows how the Transformers have intruded on our world and created destruction. This intrigues the audience to see this film because its unlike any other film out there.



This is the title of the film. The black bacground draws the audeinces attention staright to the title and makes it stick in the audeinces mind.

This screen shot shows a fewcredits of the producer, film distrubutor, etc. This screen shot is very quick as they want to manily focus on the shits before and after this shot.



The trailer ends on this screen shot to make sure that the audience remembers that date.