Rough Cut - Miss Georgiou

Chloe Eustace

Rough Cut

'The Hunted' - Original Rough Cut

Below is the Rough cut that we created as part of our group, we uploaded this opening sequence to YouTube in order to get some comments from people so that we can decided what we should make better.

Introduction

Audience feedback is important to a production that is created because it is important for a production creator to have listened to their audience and what it is that they want out of film or scene, and the best way to do this is to show people the rough cut of your film or scene and then get honest feedback from people in a variety of differently ways. This allows time for the production company to take other peoples view into consideration and re develop certain points of the film or re edit where their audience thinks is necessary, in turn creating the best film or scene for a variety of different audiences

I received feedback from my rough cut by uploading the video to YouTube in order to get some honest feedback and comments from people I don't know so that I can take their ideas and thoughts in order to make my thriller production better. I also received feedback from other people in the class by showing it to a group of 20 people and had them give some feedback and their thoughts. The feedback from them was good and useful because I took there feedback and made sure that I made them improvements to my rough cut as long as it fitted because I have a key interest in the audience thoughts and opinions. I could have provided questionnaires to people because this would have been another way to get some honest feedback, and ideas from other people to make my production better that I may not have originally thought about.

Positive Comments

Storyline: Most people said that the storyline was easy to follow and that it was obvious from our thriller opening sequence that the main script was that the girl was being hunted and that something bad was going to happen.

Setting: There was a comment to us on the setting and how it was a good place to choose in order to create and opening sequence. It was a good setting because it is creepy, dark and in a forest, this is conventional to a thriller film and creates tension and enigma for the audience keeping them hooked to the opening sequence and want to watch the rest of the film.

Camera Angles: There was a comment that noted that the variety of Camera angles that we used were good. We didn’t just use the simple zoom in and zoom out, because we used panning of the character and a variety of point of view shots as well as the use within most of the thriller opening sequence was handheld. Handheld is the most difficult camera angle to use because it can be hard to keep it steady and difficult to get the whole shot. We used a variety of two shots and different actual angles to include all the characters and get a good look at setting in the scene.

Negative Comments

Sound: When we created our rough cut ready for the general public to see we had a lack of sound within our production, and we knew that we needed to add it in for our final sequence. The comment included that it might not be tense enough music to create the enigma that is needed for a conventional thriller sequence, and there was a lack of sound in general. To improve from this comment we will try to find some better music that will get the best sound and tension hooking the audience making it conventional enough for a thriller film. Then we will add some more effective sounds to the back ground such as small 10 second sounds to get the attention of the audience but at the same time keeping it conventional. There was also a lot of issues with the background sound, as the day we filmed was very windy it made it difficult to hear what the characters are saying and made it a lot harder to edit sound into it, this is why when we come to finishing off our final production and seeing as we were to re film some shots we will make sure that there is less background noise so that it makes it conventional for the audience later on. The sound of the wind makes it difficult for the audience to want to watch the opening sequnce as it is hard to understand and for the audience to build a relationship with a character on the screen if they can t understand and engage with what they are saying.  

Brightness: There was a number of comments judging the way that the shots were too dark, the lighting was too natural as a lot of the shots near to the end of the thriller sequence were so dark that the characters could only barely be seen. From this comment our group discussed it and decided that it would be best to re film some shots because they were just too dark for an audience to see and made it difficult to get the end of the storyline before it jumps into the main film. We also found that some of our shots we could edit so that there was some more natural lighting. I found it useful to change some of the contrast, brightness and colour in order to get the best result. From starting to re edit based on these comments I have found that I could change the contrast to make the shot brighter and add a little bit more coloir to the scene, but even when I did this it was still difficult to see everything that is going on in the scene because the shot is too dark. This was when we decided that we needed to re film the shot in order to get the best outcome and an opening sequence that would be easy for an audience to undertand.

Editing: When we edited our thriller originally we didn’t use any other visual effect other than a jump cut, and this was something that was touched upon from our audience because there wasn’t enough tension created for the audience to want to continue watching and it didn’t really draw an audience in. From this comment we will take it forward to our final production and try to add more creative and not just that but make the jumps from shot to shot realistic and fit in with the film. In our rough cut there is some shots where at the end of it the screen just goes black and doesnt have anything to do with the storyline. This makes it boring for an audience and it also makes it hard for it to make sense thus not getting accross to the auidnece the enigma and tension that a thriller opening sequence should.

Conclusion

This feedback will benefit my production because all of the constructive criticism that I have received will help me to edit what needs to be changed or what hasn’t quite gone to plan. A rough cut of a film is important because listening to other people’s opinions is the best way to make our production better. We discussed as a group some of the comments that we recieved on our thriller sequnce but we had already discussed with other people about how it wasnt conventional enough and how some of the shots werent working. Going back to some of the comments that we recieved on how dark the shots are we decided to chnage a lot of the scenes but still trying to keep the same stroyline. We will change the location but it will be the same setting, we have changed the loacation to a more conventional darker but lighter forest with more trees to make it look different but still try to keep some the same. The rough cut we found wasn't very good, looking back from filming and editing there was a lot that we could have done better so we will change quite a lot from our rough cut now to our final production.



Production - Miss Miller

Chloe Eustace

Production

Introduction

People as apart of the production team need specific roles as other wise if all the roles were left to the Director then there would be too much of them to do and it would effect the way the film comes out. The roles that are assigned need to be specific for that person because its no use having the Director of Cinematography being someone who can't use a camera. It is best that there is on person for each specific role because then they can produce what they need to to there best ability for instance being just the Hair and make up designer and co coordinator then they will have there full focus on the design of that and it will look good within our opening sequence. 

Producer: Miranda Simpson

Miranda decided that she wanted to be the producer and she did a good job at being the producer as we were editing and helped to make important decisions such as editing, music and what we want the final product to look like.

Director: Elizabeth Lawrie

We also decided as a group that it would be best for Lizzie to be the Director as she enjoys the role of organising everyone and telling them how to do it. She was good at this role when we were filming because she arranged all the actors into the scenes and made sure that they were in the right place for the frames so that we could get on with them quickly instead of wasting time arguing. 

Actors: Molly Johnson, Amy Durrance and James Myers

Our actresses were friends of ours that had a key interest in Drama themselves which is why the volunteered to by in our thriller sequence to get a bit of practise in. Amy played our main victim (Gemma) who was murdered first in the forest by our antagonist who was played by James and then our second victim who was present in the car with Gemmas was played by Molly (Holly) when we were filming our thriller opening sequence they were good as they listened and played the frames as best they could to make the thriller more tense.

Director of Photography: Chloe Eustace

I volunteered myself for the role of Director of Photography because I have experience in using cameras and getting a good shot, as does Lizzie but we decided it would be best if I was in charge of the cinematography. We decided as a group that it would be best for someone who knows how to use the camera to be in charge of filming as then it will be easier whilst filming because I would know what to do. This will be good when filming as it will cause less arguments if the person who is charge of the Camera and knows how to use it. I did well at organising the shots whole were filming as I managed to get all the shots that I need for the opening sequence and got a variety of different angles ready for editing. 

Music Producer: Miranda Simpson

Miranda volunteered to be the Music producer as she said that she has a keen interest in music and wanted to find the best music for the thriller so that it would be as conventional as possible. She was in charge of downloading the music and making sure that it fit in well to the scene whist Lizzie and I made sure as well that it would still make the thriller opening sequence conventional.

Screen Play Writer: Chloe Eustace

We decided that I would would be the screen play writer as I enjoy writing for key roles and enjoy the writing side to things in general. I managed to write a script that would be a thriller with the help from Lizzie and Miranda, I just had to produce the final product.

MES Co coordinator: Elizabeth Lawrie

We decided as a group that it would be best for Lizzie to be in charge of Mise - En - Scene as she found the location for us to film and has a keen interest for organising and making sure that costumes and hair are in order. It was best for her to be in charge of this as I nor Miranda have any interest in arranging people and getting things for each shot organised. 

Editor: Elizabeth Lawrie

We decided on Lizzie for the Directing Editor as when we researched opening credits and created our own she was good at creating them and then volunteered herself to be the Editor.  We will all have a role in editing the shots as we all need to include our opinion so that we can get the best opening sequence that is conventional, but we decided on Lizzie as the main editor so that we have someone to make the final decision on the editing and hoe the opening sequence is finished. 

Conclusion

In conclusion we decided on these roles in peoples best interest and roles that would be good for the film, we didn't want to ruin filming so we needed to make sure that each person who had a role could follow through with it other wise it might effect the outcome of our final opening sequence. During filming we took to these roles well and it made it easy then to get the shots that we need because everyone stuck to what they can do well and this caused less arguments or tension whilst filming and editing to produce our final product. We could have changed some roles around because although some people had experience with different roles we found that other people could do that role better anyway. This would have been something that we could have practised a few more times while filming practise so that we could see how people reacted within there roles before we filmed completely. 

Opening Scene Narration - Miss Miller

Chloe Eustace

Opening Scene Narration

Introduction

Group Narrative Overview 'The Hunted":  "The narrative would include two girls on the way to a party, who had been being followed by someone, and they didn't really notice, so when they break down on the way to the party the stalker is behind them, which creates tension for the audience and dramatic irony because the audience know that they are being followed but the characters (girls themselves: Holly is the driver and the story bases around her. Gemma dies in the car from the stalker) are unaware of this. One of the girls gets out of the car and wanders off away from the forest to get signal, and the other girl stays behind which is when she gets murdered by the unknown stalker who has a hidden identity. The setting is in an abandoned street where there is no one around in the middle of the forest." 

We have decided as a group on our final opening scene and below is the full story narration done described frame by frame with the Micro Elements discussed in detail and how our thriller film opening sequence will come together. 

Frame 1: The Opening sequence begins when the girls are in the car and they are on there way to a party, all seems well while the sound being used in this scene is them singing and having upbeat music playing as they are excited which is on - screen sound. The camera angle that will be used is a long shot to see them in the car and see them singing. Editing that we will use for most frames at the moment to make them most effective is a jump cut. The iconography that will be used in this scene is a simply just the car.

Frame 2: The car breaks down on the road as the girls are in the car and they are driving to a party and the car comes to a halt in the road. The camera angle will be panning as the camera follows the car as we see it come to a halt. The sound that we decided that would be useful in this frame is the sound of the car engine breaking down. 

Frame 3: Zooming in to the car as they are sitting on the two front seats now moaning that the engine has broken down, they are annoyed about this now. The setting is in an abandoned forest and they are in the middle of an abandoned road where there is no signal so they can't call for help. The lighting that will be used in most of the frames of this narrative is Low Key Lighting. The sound in this frame again is on screen sound because the music plays briefly and the it stops executing silence. 

Frame 4: The antagonist is watching the car stop from the forest and is watching the girls in general from the forest as they get out of the car and start complaining. There is no iconography used particularly within this opening sequence until the end other than that it is just a car. This shot will be taken from the antagonists point of view meaning that it will be a Point Of View shot from his perspective as he is watching the girls. Sound that will be used in this frame is the sound of heavy breathing over the camera as the antagonist stands there watching trying to plot what he is going to do next. 

Frame 5&6: This is another frame that will be a pom but its a zooming out of the Gemma as she leaves the car and tells Holly that she's going to go and see whats around and see if she can get some phone signal, she actually walks into the forest behind her. Props and iconography in this frame will include her phone and the fact that the setting is in the forest. The whole opening sequence the two main victims Gemma and Holly will be wearing party clothes as they were supposed to be going to a party. The lighting that will be used is Low key and again there will be a jump cut from Gemma in frame 5 to Holly who is waiting by the car in Frame 6.Frame 6 is much the same however there will be a mid shot of Holly standing by the car which is why there will be a jump cut because it shows a completely different side of Holly to how Gemma is. Holly is left by herself at the car while she waits for Gemma to come back at to the car. Most of the sound in these two scenes are silence as this creates tension and it represents the scene. 

Frame 7: Again in this Frame the camera will be a Point of View shot again from the antagonist. Most of the shots that are Point of view from the antagonist will be followed by a jump cut to the victims themselves. This is where Gemma walks towards a house hat she can see as she is desperate to get some help for them. The antagonist follows her but she is unaware of this at this point. The lighting is Low Key and there is again no iconography. The sounds that can be heard is off screen sound as the audience can hear the sound of walking and crunching leaves as can Gemma but it can't be seen on camera. 

Frame 8: Gemma knocks on the door but there is no response which freaks her out as she is scared and vulnerable in the forest on her own and essentially realises that she has got herself lost in the forest. The sound in this frame is on screen sound as you can hear her knocking on the door of the house and then there is silence as nobody answers the door to her. The camera angle here is a close up of the door and Gemma knocking. The location is obviously in the forest  and the lighting again is just Dark and Low Key Lighting. 

Frame 9:  This scene is a Point of View shot in the forest where Gemma is walking through the forest looking for somewhere to get help and actually she is being watched by the antagonist whichis why it is a Point of View shot. The lighting in the frame is Dark and low key lighting. The charcters in the frame is is just Gemma but also there is the fact that the antagaionist is in contol of the camera as he is watching her. There is diegetic sound that is Gemma walking through the forest but also the antagonists loud breatheing and the cruching of leaves. This is also parrallel sound because it is sound that you expect to hear within a thriller opening sequnce.

Frame 10&11&12: Within this frame the camera angle that is being used is again a Point of View shot that is the antagonist and he is filming his feet through the forest to show the audience and I guess to make them aware that it is from his Point of View. The setting again is the forest, and there is the crunching sound of leaves again for diegetic. Editing we decided on for this frame is a jump cut to frame 11 and a jump cut from frame 10 to 11. Again frame 11 and 12 is a point of view shot as well as this is just the antagonist watching Gemma as she goes through the forest and is looking for somewhere to get phone signal and get help, the antagonist is followibng her secretwely because he can see that she is vulnerable on her own. The costume through this frame is her in her party clothes, and they start to look a bit scruffy as they stay in the forest for a while panicing, there us use of natural lighting and the antagonist chases Gemma through the scene.

Frame 13: This frame establishes a shallow focus on holly while she is back at the car meaning that the rest of the scene and background behind her is blurred out, because this gives the scene mor affect and allows the audience to be focusing on just her emotions and what she is doing within the frame. The sound is parrallel as it is silent and there maybe some use of non-diegetic sound as we may add in some music that will make the scene more tense and attract the audiences attention.

Frame 14: This frame is much like frame 10 as the antagonist is again following Gemma through the forest as she goes to knok on the door of an abandoned house she has found, and hopes that there may be people in there that can help her. The lighting is loq key again and the setting is now in the forest where there is an abandoned house. The camera shot again is a Point of View shot from the perspective of the unknown anatagonist, and there is the sound of the4 antagonists breathing and cruching of the leaves. Editing that we will use again is probably a jump cut because the next frame the scene jumps back to the car where Holly is standing and Waiting for Gemma to come back.

Frame 15: Within this frame there is a midhsot back to where holly is at the car and she screams Gemmas name hoping that she is okay and is coming back. The light here is very dark to create tension and the location being the abandoned roasd as she wanders up it. The Mise-en-scene included within this frame is the setting which is in the forest and the lighting as is most of the sequcne is low key lighting and the costume and hair and make up again is the same as the rest of the frames where the two girls are dressed in appopriate clothes to go to a party.

Frame 16: In this frame the camera is focused on Gemma and and blurs the background showing the house behind her and this gives the audience a clue that something bad is probably going to happen. The setting again is in the forest as with the whole sequence and the lighting is natural and making the sound diegetic sound as there is dead silence to build the tension for the audience to build a relationship with the character as the charcater Gemma is vulnerable and scared at this point.

Frame 17&18: This camera shot for this frame is a longshot as the whole forest is being shown and there is cruching of the leaves and the sound of the antagoist walking away however he cant tbe seen at this point. There is iconography of a knife within this scene because the antagonist has already murdered her and he is walking away, the audience can see the knife on the ground. The antagonist walks out of the settuibng of the froest leavibng Gemma dead on the floor however the only thing that the audience can see is Gemma on the floor. Frame 18 is much tthe same however all we can see is the antagonist walking off and away from the scene this being the first time that the audience has seen him because he has an hidden identity within the sequince until the end. The iconography again is a knife and the costume that the antagonist is wearing is dark clothes that mkakes the character look suspicious to the audience.

Frame 19&21: These two frames consist of the camera zooming out from the scene still leaving the antagonist walking away and Gemma still dead on the floor. Frame 21 includes a shot of Holly wandering into the forest shouting out Gemmas name and freaking out herself after she heard Gemmas screams, and now the audience will know from the zooming out that something bad will happen to her too even though it doesnt happen during the opening sequnce.

Risk Assessment - Miss Georgiou

Chloe Eustace

Risk Assessment

Introduction

It is important to include and consider risks before filming that might be a problem whilst we are filming so that we can pin point any hazard that may be a problem, it will be able to assist us while we are filming so that we will be able to prevent this hazard before it becomes a problem whilst we are trying to film. This makes it easier for us when we are filming so that there are little problems and that we can film uninterrupted by issues or problems that we hadnt considered before hand. A risk assessment also indicates and helps us to keep everyone while we are filming safe. 

We decided on some examples of risks that may become a problem while filming such as the fact that we are filming at night in the dark in the forest so we quickly realised that it will be dark so we are going to need extra sources of light in order to make the thriller work as we know that we need to film in the dark to make it conventional. So from this we spoke about it and realised that we need to bring extra torches and lights. We also considered the weather as it may likely rain, and so it could be a problem but we decided to obviously make sure that we have umbrellas and stuff with us and if it gets to rainy then we may have to come back the following day. We are using a knife when we are filming so we decided that we need to take extra care and make sure that nothing happens. 

Conclusion

In conclusion this risk assessment was very important so that we could discuss what would be useful to prepare for and any envent that may happen that could be dangerous or interrupt filming.