Moodboard

My opening genre

My opening has a gangster/thriller genre, but it also has elements of a mystery drama incorperated. The gangster part is shown with the charecters, in their costume and their speech, with a heavy london accent and the type of words being used. Also with the details such as the basement and the smoking.
The thriller is the story line, the kidnapping and the past story flashback which is the root cause of all of the happenings. Also the action parts such as the drag scene and the throwing of the phone add to the thriller.

Costumes used

The costume used in my opening are all smart, suits for a sophisticated look.
Andrei's costume was a suit, with a white shirt and black tie. A sort of funeral type dress sense, signifying an end.
Marcus is dressed similarly, but not with a suit jacket. This is to show that his power is not as great as Andrei's, and that he is the victim. This can be compared with a low angle camera shot, showing the weakness, like looking down on a lesser person.

Mise-en-scene

Personally, i think mise en scene in my opening is a strong point. I chose areas and setting that was appropriate for the shot. I used my celler for a basement scene, and used a cigarette for Andrei to create a gangster setting.
Also, with the drag scene i used a driveway with stones, and a tree background for a spooky and eerie set. The gravel also used diagetic sounds that improved the realsim of the shot.
With the office scene i used a home office, with appliances sprawled out like mouses and keyboards, pens and paper to create a destroyed working office set.

Lighting used

In my opening, i used hallogen lighting placed in appropriate places to make details more effectibve like hiding the charceters face, or light up a face such as when the boot of the car is shut on the flashback and the charecters face freezes, there is artificial lighting from off the shot.
All of the lighting used it not directly in the shot, it is all placed to look natural and to add detail.

Camera angles used in my opening

I have used a lot of mid angle shots in my peice, and also angles that hide the charecters face. For the basements shots, the angles are all mid shots, including half of the charecters body and also include the mise-en-scene. The pan shot used for the drag scene is used to emphasise the amount of time and the surroundings in the action.
In the opening shot, the angle is a high shot looking down on the charecter showing him as weak. The shot then zooms out to reveal the office around him, again encapturing the mise-en-scene.
The angle used when the mobile phone starts to ring increases the high drama and intensity of the shot, also framing the unknown caller flasing on the phone.
Most of the angles used are meant to be intimidating and personal to the charecters so the audience can get closer to the action, making it more gripping and realistic.

TEXTAREA_ID

These are the rooms and these are still of where my filming has taken place.

Changes Made

I have just re-filmed a lot of scenes from my first draft. I will have the first draft up as soon as i can to show that, but i am going to explain what modifications i have made compared to my pitch to the class that is already posted. Fistly, i have modified the voice of the charecter Andrei. The reason behind this is that the first draft had a real bad contrast of a northern english accent and a strong american/italian accent. Also the piece will fit better if my charecters all have an english accent. To add to that the charecters voice in my first draft came across quite quietly on the screen so some modifications had to be done to that.
Secondly i have added in different shots of Andrei. The first draft only included one shot of him, making it seem very repetative and not showing off any real camera/filming skills. So to adjust and improve this new shots have been filmed.
I have also added in shots of Marcus' wife, who has been kidnapped, tied and gagged and slumped in a corner with a lot of high angle shots to show her helplessness.
Added vto this, a big addition is the flashback i have filmed. The reason behind the kidnapping has been filmed to add a different concept to my peice and to bring it to life a bit more. I will add this by flashing white across the screen with the voice-over of Andrei describing the action. The footage will probably be black and whit and have some sort of effect to make it look old.
I filmed all of the footage in and around my house, all on my land.

My Pitch

As Media Practical Mine

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Research into similar products

24 American TV show, drama.
Wikipedia:
24 is an American serial action/drama television series broadcast by Fox in the United States and syndicated worldwide. The series debuted November 6, 2001.
The story of 24 is presented in the semblance of real time. Each season depicts a 24hour period in the life of Jack Bauer, who works with the United States government as it fights fictitious terrorist threats to the United States. Bauer is often in the field for the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) as it tries to safeguard the nation from terrorist threats. The show also follows the actions of associated CTU agents, government officials and terrorists.
24 is the second longest-running espionage-themed series in television history.

IMDb:
In this concept drama, each season takes place within one 24 hour period. Jack Bauer is the head of an elite team of CIA agents who uncover an assassination plot targeting Presidential nominee David Palmer. Meanwhile, Jack's strained marriage to his wife, Teri, is pushed to the brink by the sudden disappearance of their troubled teenage daughter. What will the next 24 hours hold?

I chose to research this tv series because it has certain concepts i am including in my opening, like the count down timer and the disappearance of a family member. Also i think that the title has a very simnple but effectiveeffective. I am struggling to think of a title for my film opening, so i need to look to these genres for inspiration. Something deep and dark sounding would fit my genre. Also, my opening needs to add drama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lxDREJ4vTo

Taken/2008
IMDb:
Seventeen year-old Kim is the pride and joy of her father Bryan Mills. Bryan is a retired agent who left the Secret Service to be near Kim in California. Kim lives with her mother Lenore and her wealthy stepfather Stuart. Kim manages to convince her reluctant father to allow her to travel to Paris with her friend Amanda. When the girls arrive in Paris they share a cab with a stranger named Peter, and Amanda lets it slip that they are alone in Paris. Using this information an Albanese gang of human traffickers kidnaps the girls. Kim barely has time to call her father and give him information. Her father gets to speak briefly to one of the kidnappers and he promises to kill the kidnappers if they do not let his daughter go free. The kidnapper wishes him "good luck," so Bryan Mills travels to Paris to search for his daughter and her friend.

Wikipedia:
Taken is a 2008 French action thriller film starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, and Maggie Grace. It is based on a script by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen and was directed by Pierre Morel. Neeson plays a former Central Intelligence Agency paramilitary operative who sets about tracking down his teenage daughter after she is kidnapped by slave traders while traveling in Europe.

I think that this film has a lot of concepts that are simalar to my ideas. Although saying that, the charecter Bryan was an ex-agent. The concepts that i most like about this film are the kidnapping in paris, the city of love supposedly, far away from protection and her father, and the fact that the trafficer wishes Bryan good luck, a cold hearted but ice cool touch that i would like to replicate.

What is the difference between a film opening and a film trailer?

Opening
-Enigma codes (hook)
-Charecter roles limeted to 'hero' (Propp) Protagonist
-Establishing shot for setting, action sots or codes (Barthes)
-Charecter in role/doing same thing
-Hint towards disequilibrium but not nesessary as it is 2 mins
-Title/be imaginative and fit genre
-Do we want to watch on?
-Music/does this fit the genre?

Trailer
-Provides a summary of the film, plot iotuline (without the ending)
-Enigma codes
-Charecter roles (Propp) more clearly defined
-Varied clips from entire film

Budget Essay

Different types of films are moulded and differ as a result of budget. For example if a film is low budget, there is not likely to be 'big name' actors throughout the film and the producers are not likely to be 'big name' either. Three examples of budgets that differ are 'Dark Knight', 'Hot Fuzz' and 'This is England'. The very high budget film is Dark knight, with a budget of $185 million. Following this is a mid budget film, Hot fuzz with a budget of $8m. And tailing the order with a very low budget is This is England.
The production companies involved re-iterate the budgets, with Dark Knight being produced with Legendary Pictures, Syncopy Films, DC comics and Warner Bros. Pictures. All of these are massive production companies for the simple reason, the film could afford these major companies to help make the film. Production companies in Hot Fuzz are Studio Canal, Working Title, Films and Big Talk Productions. All of these production companies are small but successful ones, not worldwide and ultimately well known but well equipped enough to support the film strongly. Especially Working title, with Universal owning 60% of the company, and being based in the USA.The reason for this is because the film has a substantial amount of money backing it to have interest from the successful companies, and a fair number of them at that. This is England only had two production companies, Film Four and Warp films. Because of it low budget, the film could not afford to be produced by a major company, or multiple companies at that.
The Director and Producers for Dark Knight are successful and well known people in their profession and worldwide, and they were before the film was released and produced. Director, Christopher Nolan and the Producers, Himself, Charles Roven and Emma Thomas. Hot Fuzz has a less star studded board of Producers, but The Director Edgar Wright is a well known director, taking charge of 4 well known films prior to Hot fuzz. The reason for there not being so many stars is that the budget has enough money for certain areas of production to really excel, but not all areas. This is England only had one Producer and Director, both of whom were not well known at all before the film was released and made. This is because the budget could only allow this.
The actors in This is England are all up and coming, not well known actors that are looking for a big role in a film to make a break. The film did not need big name roles, it needed normal, common people to play the roles of everyday characters in England at that time. Also the film could not support a 'big name' actor. Hot Fuzz on the other hand has well known and respected comedic actors that really enhance the film and budgeting has been used to effect. Similarly in Dark Knight, many big name actors are in the cast which gives it a Hollywood factor, which budgeting easily covers.
Because of budgeting in Dark Knight, many scripts were released in different forms. A comic book, story and screenplay each had two professionals working on them for better sales and income from the film. Hot Fuzz and This is England Only have writers that are the directors.
The technology used in the different films is the big difference that leaks through the films and differs them in terms of budget. In This is England not much technology is used at all, and instead of using sets, locations were used to save cost. Hot Fuzz however used special effects, scenes such as murder scenes, pubs, offices, police stations and houses as sets because it could afford to use these things within it because budget is wider stretched. Dark Knight used endless amounts of technology throughout, including frequent special effects and sound effects. This enhances the film and they are easily able to cover this within the budget.
marketing is a big part of budget and involves using other companies to sell the film to the public. This is England only uses simple methods such as posters, adverts and trailers because of low budget, but Hot Fuzz and Dark Knight used action figures for Dark knight, magazine ads, Internet ads, T.V ads, Trailers that differed and extended with release dates, film festivals etc.
All of these factors are highly affected by budget. The simple fact stands the higher the budget of the film, the more successful and bigger names will be involved, with higher marketing opportunities.

My prelim mag cover

I chose this layout and picture for my magazine beause i think it will appeal to the target audience i am aiming at. The age range i want to appeal to is teenagers/Low to mid twenties. I think that this age range are the most fasshion current there is, also they have the most taste and interest in new styles and music. I chose the model in the picture because i think he is a good replicant of my target audience, with a retro hair style and abstract clothing. Also, i chose to picture him against a dark, shadowed wall because it loks quite 'street' and modern. It doesn't show that the person is hiding away, instead it respresents youth and gives them a sort of swagger and confidence, looking threatening.

Film openeings and trailers that inspire my work.

These openings and trailers are not only inspirational to me but i can take genres and similar techniques out of them to use in my filming.
Bruce Almighty:

I chose this film as it is one of my favourite comedic dramas, it stars one of my favourite actors, and the editing and special effects in the film are used often and very effectively. It is unigue in the group of films i have chosen.
The Firm:

This film is based around real life happenings, and represents a certain group of people in England. Also, the fact that it is an English filmed and produced film makes it easier to refer to and analyse. It is a thrilling drama.
Bourne Identity:

I chose this film because it is a contrast to the others, an actioned packed thriller involving shoot outs, close escapes and explosive scenes that excite and draw in audiences. It is one of my favourite action films that is easy to refer to and is possibly an option to use in my final film.
The Longest Yard:

This film is an underdog story, an action packed sports film, with running and sports action shots captured throughout that display high level of skills and techniques to film movement.

Prelim Video Shooting

Our task was to record a video of a conversation between two people, walking across the room or a corridor and getting back up after the conversation and walking off. We included an over the shoulder shot in the video because it gives an more point of view look at the person talking on a 180 degree angle. In out filming the opening shot was a long shot down a corridor, which is hard to make effective and we may have dragged the shot on for too long but on the flip side, the corridor in which it is filmed suits the script, being intimidating and dark with loud footsteps getting closer to the camera. We tried to make our shots flow walking through a door, with an over the shoulder shot going into a low angle shot, trying to get continuity into the shot we blended them in so the charecter was in the same position when the shot switches. We also did this with out closing shot, starting on one side of the door and switching it to the other side at the same point. By doing this we tried to display editing skills and filming skills by catching the same or similar movements and timing into the shot.