Thursday, 21 January 2016
Thursday, 17 December 2015
Researching Thriller Title Font
Now that I have decided on the name of my film I need to experiment with different fonts that will work well with the title. Font is important because it can represent different moods and themes within the film.
The font used for the Sinister title is very effective for connoting the mood or theme of death in the film. It does this by using a font that looks like blood is dripping down from the letters. This is backed up by the stale red colour that is used in the font- it almost makes it look like the word has been written in bloody which is very creepy.
The font used for this is England is a perfect example of a type of font that completely backs the title itself. The fact that the title is bold and all the letters are in capitals implies that this film will be very nationalist based because its almost like an exclamation of the phrase too defend the country. Lastly, the red white and blue patriotic colours further shows the extremities of the national pride in the film.
The font used for the thrilling American TV drama- Breaking Bad is clever because it fills the reader in on the main content of the film. The letters 'Br' and Ba' are taken from the periodic table simply showing that this show will involve some sort of chemistry. I also noticed how the other letters were not fully filled in and some of it was rubbed out which I thought could link to a chalk board at school which of course links to the protagonist's profession as a teacher.
Experimenting with fonts for my film title:
Font One
I like this font because it is very bold and constant. I think this works well with the title because the metallic colour and use of capital letters is professional and legal which is ideal for my film based upon police interrogation and the law. However, I do fear that this font choice is slightly boring in comparison to some of the others and therefore it is not one of my favourites.
Font Two
This font is a little less structured than the first one which I really like because it adds to the sense of crime and breaking the law which is a key theme in my film. Furthermore, I believe that the font reminds me of the writing on a dog tag worn by gang members which again is another big part of my film, especially in the opening sequence.
Font Three
This font is another personal favourite because I like the contrast of dark grey colours giving it almost a dull and deep mood which is desired in this particular thriller film. Furthermore, I think that this style of font represents a jail cell which of course is another part of my film because the criminal that gets caught is threatened to a prison sentence if he doesn't give information.
Font Four
This font is good because it contains lots of representation about the film that will be discovered by the audience after they endure it. The glimpse of light just above the letter G represents that the criminal being interrogated is shedding light onto the mystery police case which I think is very clever. The dark atmosphere could also signify the criminal being alone after being betrayed by his literal partner in crime and the only way out is to give information on his whereabouts.
After researching and considering the different font option I have chose to use the second font because I like the way that it connotes a theme of crime and a breaking of the law.
The font used for the Sinister title is very effective for connoting the mood or theme of death in the film. It does this by using a font that looks like blood is dripping down from the letters. This is backed up by the stale red colour that is used in the font- it almost makes it look like the word has been written in bloody which is very creepy.
The font used for this is England is a perfect example of a type of font that completely backs the title itself. The fact that the title is bold and all the letters are in capitals implies that this film will be very nationalist based because its almost like an exclamation of the phrase too defend the country. Lastly, the red white and blue patriotic colours further shows the extremities of the national pride in the film.
The font used for the thrilling American TV drama- Breaking Bad is clever because it fills the reader in on the main content of the film. The letters 'Br' and Ba' are taken from the periodic table simply showing that this show will involve some sort of chemistry. I also noticed how the other letters were not fully filled in and some of it was rubbed out which I thought could link to a chalk board at school which of course links to the protagonist's profession as a teacher.
Experimenting with fonts for my film title:
Font One
I like this font because it is very bold and constant. I think this works well with the title because the metallic colour and use of capital letters is professional and legal which is ideal for my film based upon police interrogation and the law. However, I do fear that this font choice is slightly boring in comparison to some of the others and therefore it is not one of my favourites.
Font Two
This font is a little less structured than the first one which I really like because it adds to the sense of crime and breaking the law which is a key theme in my film. Furthermore, I believe that the font reminds me of the writing on a dog tag worn by gang members which again is another big part of my film, especially in the opening sequence.
Font Three
This font is another personal favourite because I like the contrast of dark grey colours giving it almost a dull and deep mood which is desired in this particular thriller film. Furthermore, I think that this style of font represents a jail cell which of course is another part of my film because the criminal that gets caught is threatened to a prison sentence if he doesn't give information.
Font Four
This font is good because it contains lots of representation about the film that will be discovered by the audience after they endure it. The glimpse of light just above the letter G represents that the criminal being interrogated is shedding light onto the mystery police case which I think is very clever. The dark atmosphere could also signify the criminal being alone after being betrayed by his literal partner in crime and the only way out is to give information on his whereabouts.
After researching and considering the different font option I have chose to use the second font because I like the way that it connotes a theme of crime and a breaking of the law.
Researching Thriller Film Titles
The title of a film is definitely a very important thing to consider for any film. It is essentially the first piece of information that the audience can obtain from a film before even watching it. When creating my film opening sequence I will need to think of an effective name that will reveal some information about the film but at the same time keep it mysterious and allow the audience to make assumptions on what the film could be about. I have looked at roughly twenty different film titles from a range of thriller sub-genres and thought about why they have been used and why they are effective.
After researching a handful of thriller films I discovered that certain names have specific purposes and they all have different effects on the audience. For example, 'Paranormal Activity' is a very simple and clear film title- it tells the audience that the film is based about the paranormal. This type of film title is very revealing because the aim is simply to attract the attention of people who like to watch ghost films. However, the title 'Spectre' is the opposite. It reveals very little about the film and leaves the audience to interpret what they think it will be based upon. This type of title is often used for films that are well know by the audience such as the James Bond films. This is because it is most likely that audience already know what to expect from these types of films. Finally, the film title 'Saw' allows the audience to obtain some information without watching it but at the same time keeps a lot of the film content a mystery enforcing them to watch it and find out what happens.
Another thing I found, during my research, was that the most popular films all had very simplistic and short names. The reason for this is because using a short title consisting of only one or two words makes sure that it sticks in the audience's head and assures they remember the name of the film come the time when it is released.
The title for my film will be 'The interrogation'. I believe that this is an effective title because firstly it tells the audience what it will be based on and give them some insight on some of the hard-hitting content. The title tells the audience that there is clearly an element of crime involved in the film which intrigues them because crime is a very popular theme in thriller films. At the same time though, the name choice is good because it still keeps a lot of the content hidden from the audience, leaving them asking questions such as: What is the crime? Who is being interrogated?
Another thing I found, during my research, was that the most popular films all had very simplistic and short names. The reason for this is because using a short title consisting of only one or two words makes sure that it sticks in the audience's head and assures they remember the name of the film come the time when it is released.
The title for my film will be 'The interrogation'. I believe that this is an effective title because firstly it tells the audience what it will be based on and give them some insight on some of the hard-hitting content. The title tells the audience that there is clearly an element of crime involved in the film which intrigues them because crime is a very popular theme in thriller films. At the same time though, the name choice is good because it still keeps a lot of the content hidden from the audience, leaving them asking questions such as: What is the crime? Who is being interrogated?
Protagonist and antagonist costume representation
I have been looking into different types of protagonist characters to find out more about their costumes and what they connote to the audience. I discovered that character's main attire depends on the type of thriller the film is based on and the themes that are within it. I then decided to focus on particular thriller sub genres and see the sort of clothing and accessories that are used.Crime Thriller
On the other hand, in crime thrillers, the antagonist is very different in terms of costume. I found that the so called 'bad guy' in most crime films usually wear a mask to hide their identity which builds mystery. This is certainly the case in the film the Dark Knight Rises with the antagonist Bane who wears a mask during the whole script. It leaves the audience wondering why he wears the mask. This links to one of the first scenes where he says "nobody cared who I was before I put on the mask," which strikes us as somebody that wants to be noticed and recognized as an evil figure. I also noticed that antagonist characters mainly wear dark clothing which maybe implies they try to stay hidden.
Friday, 4 December 2015
Opening Sequence Narrative
The scene begins with several shots of a car from varied angles creating tension and mystery as to who or what awaits inside it. Then two masked men submerge from the car and start making their way towards a large building in an isolated location. At this point the audience's denotation of the isolated area connotes vulnerability. This is backed up by the two mystery characters in masks with a large duffle bag- the audience are left on the edge of their seats unaware of what will happen next although certain signs point to a crime. This assumption is confirmed when one of the men fires the gun into the air after busting through the doors, he also exclaims, "Get on the ground" presumably to the bystander on the scene who aren't shown in the shot. The criminals throw the man behind the counter the duffle bag and demand it be filled while held at gun point. Once the bag is filled to its max with cash, they make a run for the door, swing it open and dash outside. Heading for the car the criminal with the bag is suddenly hit over the head by the other character and in what seems like one swift motion the character grabs the money, jumps over the fence and sprints across the field. As the betrayed character clambers to hi feet police sirens come closer and before not too long the character is being arrested by a police officer who has just arrived on the scene. As for the other criminal, he appears to be free from the police as he is half way across the large landscape of grass.
What is presumed to be the captured criminal is sitting at a table on what appears to be a security camera which instantly implies to the audience that this is some sort of police interrogation. The same police officer, who made the arrest, arrives in the small, box-shaped room to join the criminal. The officer starts by stating "We can either do this the easy way or the hard way," which doesn't break the criminal's silence and therefore the audience will infer that he is not going to give information like the police force want. The officer continues to smother the criminal with questions regarding the other, missing criminal but still he refuses to talk. That is until the officer bribes the character into giving information by promising him his freedom after the job was finished. The scene slowly fades out and the titles appear on screen displaying "THE INTERROGATION" and the actor's names who took part in the filming.
What is presumed to be the captured criminal is sitting at a table on what appears to be a security camera which instantly implies to the audience that this is some sort of police interrogation. The same police officer, who made the arrest, arrives in the small, box-shaped room to join the criminal. The officer starts by stating "We can either do this the easy way or the hard way," which doesn't break the criminal's silence and therefore the audience will infer that he is not going to give information like the police force want. The officer continues to smother the criminal with questions regarding the other, missing criminal but still he refuses to talk. That is until the officer bribes the character into giving information by promising him his freedom after the job was finished. The scene slowly fades out and the titles appear on screen displaying "THE INTERROGATION" and the actor's names who took part in the filming.
Storyboard
All the images in this storyboard are initial shots I took prior to the filming. I thought that doing these practice shots would make the filming a lot easier as I could simply look at the storyboard and mirror the pre shots I took by getting into the same position.
Preliminary Task Evaluation
Our preliminary task was a way to demonstrate that we could use the different camera shots in a film and also to show that we can edit effectively on Final Cut Pro X, using different techniques, effects and transitions. The mini film had to be based on a character walking down a corridor, entering a room, sitting down and exchanging a few lines of conversation with another character whom is already in place in the room. Despite having to follow this, what may sound like a rather monotonous structure, we were able to make our plot really interesting, witting and amusing for the audience.
Our mini film begins with one of the characters (me) staring at a clock as if to indicate that he is waiting for something or someone. In this first section we managed to use several camera shots, including a close up of my on edge facial expression and an over the shoulder shot of the clock. After that the camera switches to the corridor outside the room of which I await, the other character (Rory) turns the corner and begins to walk towards the room. When recording I made sure that I did not capture his face as I wanted to hide his identity to build up tension and create suspense. When Rory walks through the door we agree that this is a perfect opportunity to use the match on action shot type. I record Rory opening the door from one side and then cut the clip to another clip which is shot from the other side of the door. After he sits down opposite my character and offers me a beverage, we exchange a few lines about a deal that is about to go down, just before he poisons me with the drink he provided. While recording the conversation we had, we were able to use the 180 degree rule as well as shot reverse shot to make it easier for the audience to process. Then he smugly stands from his chair, exits the room and walks back down the corridor in a similar manor to his entrance creating a cylindrical effect. I created a storyboard that shows what each shot shows and what type of shot we will be using, also it shows the type of transitions and sound I will be using to add to suspense of the film.
Filming was generally quite easy to do and we managed to get the main bits shot in the one day, unlike last time we recorded horizontally with the ipads which means when we uploaded the footage onto the macs the clip filled the whole screen and not just part. We found it fairly easy to include all the camera angles that we needed to demonstrate in the film. One problem with the filming was the area we had to film it, on the first day we filmed some of the conversation in one of the school classrooms and when we went to record in there the next day, that room was occupied so we had no choice but to film in another room. We were able to find a similar sort of room as a replacement, however in future we should aim to try and record the clips all in one place to avoid the audience becoming confused. When following Rory walking down the corridor the camera was a bit shaky which makes the film look unprofessional, to address this we could use a type of camera trolly which will stop the camera shaking while in use.
Editing was really fun; I found it satisfying to trial the varied effects, sounds and transitions before finding the ones that suited the footage the best. For the sound we wanted a song that is fairly mysterious and builds tension to where Rory is walking down the corridor. In the end I chose the song Right Here Right Now by Fat Boy Slim as it starts off slow and gets faster as it builds up to Rory's big entrance on the corridor. We also used a ticking sound effect to emphasise the clock was the main focus of the character and that is what is important in this scene. When the characters are conversing about the deal there will be some slow, light musician the background, similar to in a James Bond thriller when he encounters his foes. Some of the shots didn't need the use of transitions so we left them without any however for some, the footage did not look smooth when played through so I decided to use the fade feature to almost blend the two clips together so it would run smoother.
Overall I thought the preliminary task went really well as we were able to use the Final Cut Pro X software and gain more editing experience as well as having some fun while recording the footage. The task has made me more confident for the opening scene I will be making in weeks to come.
Our mini film begins with one of the characters (me) staring at a clock as if to indicate that he is waiting for something or someone. In this first section we managed to use several camera shots, including a close up of my on edge facial expression and an over the shoulder shot of the clock. After that the camera switches to the corridor outside the room of which I await, the other character (Rory) turns the corner and begins to walk towards the room. When recording I made sure that I did not capture his face as I wanted to hide his identity to build up tension and create suspense. When Rory walks through the door we agree that this is a perfect opportunity to use the match on action shot type. I record Rory opening the door from one side and then cut the clip to another clip which is shot from the other side of the door. After he sits down opposite my character and offers me a beverage, we exchange a few lines about a deal that is about to go down, just before he poisons me with the drink he provided. While recording the conversation we had, we were able to use the 180 degree rule as well as shot reverse shot to make it easier for the audience to process. Then he smugly stands from his chair, exits the room and walks back down the corridor in a similar manor to his entrance creating a cylindrical effect. I created a storyboard that shows what each shot shows and what type of shot we will be using, also it shows the type of transitions and sound I will be using to add to suspense of the film.
Filming was generally quite easy to do and we managed to get the main bits shot in the one day, unlike last time we recorded horizontally with the ipads which means when we uploaded the footage onto the macs the clip filled the whole screen and not just part. We found it fairly easy to include all the camera angles that we needed to demonstrate in the film. One problem with the filming was the area we had to film it, on the first day we filmed some of the conversation in one of the school classrooms and when we went to record in there the next day, that room was occupied so we had no choice but to film in another room. We were able to find a similar sort of room as a replacement, however in future we should aim to try and record the clips all in one place to avoid the audience becoming confused. When following Rory walking down the corridor the camera was a bit shaky which makes the film look unprofessional, to address this we could use a type of camera trolly which will stop the camera shaking while in use.
Editing was really fun; I found it satisfying to trial the varied effects, sounds and transitions before finding the ones that suited the footage the best. For the sound we wanted a song that is fairly mysterious and builds tension to where Rory is walking down the corridor. In the end I chose the song Right Here Right Now by Fat Boy Slim as it starts off slow and gets faster as it builds up to Rory's big entrance on the corridor. We also used a ticking sound effect to emphasise the clock was the main focus of the character and that is what is important in this scene. When the characters are conversing about the deal there will be some slow, light musician the background, similar to in a James Bond thriller when he encounters his foes. Some of the shots didn't need the use of transitions so we left them without any however for some, the footage did not look smooth when played through so I decided to use the fade feature to almost blend the two clips together so it would run smoother.
Overall I thought the preliminary task went really well as we were able to use the Final Cut Pro X software and gain more editing experience as well as having some fun while recording the footage. The task has made me more confident for the opening scene I will be making in weeks to come.
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