Welcome to my blog where you will find a record of background research and planning behind the slasher opening production - Our working title is 'Doctor' Our opening is influenced by Mad House Also you will find my colleagues blog pages where there will be additional information. Please feel free to leave any helpful comments.

Friday 19 October 2012

Final Cut Pro X - First Impressions

Final Cut Pro X

I have never used Final Cut Pro X before as media studies neither had i used final cut express but i had already tried to edit a video on final cut express. At first i thought that they were very similar but after i was shown by an A2 student the key aspects of it i thought that it was easier to use than what i originally thought. I do think that it will take me a while to get used to this software, as i have never used anything like a program like Final Cut Pro or Final Cut Express. But i hope my skills will enhance in the future so i can deal with bigger more professional projects.



For first time users there is alot of online help information; the links are listed below.

Getting started with Final Cut Pro X

Overview of the Final Cut Pro X interface


Thursday 18 October 2012

Swede: Taken

Swede: Taken

Taken Cover

































Our swede idea was taken, my group thought it was the best option and had supposedly had it 'planned'.
We chose to do 5 main scenes in total which we thought were the most significant in the movie

Shot Types

The first shot consisted of an over the shoulder shot, we used this to show the view form the girls perspective, we can tell the character is a girl because of the long hair, we also used this shot type so the identity of the character, was hidden form the audience to create a more suspense opening scene.


Other shots that were included were a medium long-shot in the airport scene, to show the audience the setting of the scene and also close enough to see the characters emotions in this scene as they are leaving one another.



A high angled close up shot was used here to show the vulnerability of her farther because the girl is in a very dangerous place, it was also used to show that her dad was calling if this had of been a long shot this detail wouldn't have been put across to the viewers.



We used an over the shoulder shot here and also a long shot, an OTS was used to show the view of Amanda and a LS used to get the full body in the frame of the picture and to give the audience a view of what was happening in the scene.




AS Coursework: Film Openings (2)

Hot Fuzz DVD Cover
Hot Fuzz 
(Edgar Wright, 2007)

Budget: 
£8m

US Box Office: 
$24m
UK Box Office:
 £21m

Opening Weekend:
$5,848,464 (USA) (22 April 2007) (825 Screens)
£5,918,149 (UK) (18 February 2007) (427 Screens)




The length of the opening scene is 2.20 minutes
Working Title Ident as shown in the opening

Company Idents:
Universal Pictures
Working Title




Opening shot
Opening Shot:
The opening shot is an extreme long shot zooming out to reveal what is implied to be the main character, in the first shot of the film. This is then accompanied by ' In association with Studio Canal' which suggests it may not be as important as idents such as Universal pictures and Working Title. The language used ('In association with') also suggests that as it is not as important as the other two.


Closing Shot
Closing Shot:
The closing shot is a two shot close up, this is used to show the detail in this scene (the stabbing of the hand) and also the characters emotions


The opening scene contains a very skilled piece of editing a number of shots one after another are used and a flickering effect is given off to add suspense. Throughout the opening it is focused on the one character which we assume is the main character which we then come to realise that he is which is not a suprise as he is the main camera focus.
Mid shot


extreme longshot

Close up - introduction to the character


Friday 12 October 2012

Past Coursework assesment

Just Another Day 
(Chris Benisek, 2009)



Film Budget 

- £0
US Box Office
 - £0
UK Box Office 
- £0

Idents:
L.C.E Productions






This film opening features a man late for work which as an audience we get the impression that this is a frequent thing in his everyday life hence 'Just Another Day'

The Construction of the opening

25 Shots are used in this film opening

Opening shot:
A CU is used here of his alarm clock to signify to the audience that something to do with time might be of importance in this opening. We then realise in the next establishing shot that, time is what the opening is all about.


Closing shot:
The closing shot is a still frame which is use to introduce the film title which would then lead on to the movie there is no transition used but because there is the movie credit we assume that this is the end of the opening.








Tuesday 2 October 2012

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrells swede

My Swede Idea

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrells (Guy Ritchie, 1998)
Trailer -
DVD COVER


Characters:
Tom
Soap
Eddy
Bacon
Big Chris
Little Chris
Hatchet Harry
Barry The Baptist
Dog

Obviously this isn't the full cast list but the swede would be to long if all characters were used.

Scenes:

  • (1)The first scene will be when Tom, Soap, Eddy and Bacon have gathered their £100,000 
  • (2)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLGWuWt8wfY Secondly the poker scene cut short. Mainly including when Tom loses his money to Hatchet Harry which is a key scene which is what the swede will be evolved around - Getting back the money.
  • (3)When the four lad realise that next door is going to do a robbery, they plan to rob next door which is Dog and his four gang members
  • (4)At this point also Eddy is currently buying two very expensive shotguns
  • (5)The set up for when next door gets back and to rob them, Tom, Soap, Eddy and Bacon have broken into their house and are waiting which then proceeds to them robbing the money 
  • (6)Then the money is left in their house where dogs ends up finding it so now he has their money
  • (7)A fight between Dog and Big Chris results in the money being take off Dog which is now in the hands of Big Chris
  • (8)Tom visits Hatchet Harry to tell him that he doesn't have his £100,000 but luckily Big Chris is their to tell them how much there shot guns are worth.
  • (9)For the final scene Eddy is about to throw the guns of the edge of a bridge which is where the swede will be cut off.
These are the key scenes to the film all of which revolve around the character list so that is why these scenes have been chosen and they go through the plot of the film nicely. When filming scripts will be produced and changed if needed.

Setting:
A normal house is ideal as scenes 1,2,3,5,6 and 8 will be shot inside and the different rooms can be used. For example scene 1 can be shot in a kitchen and scene 2 shot in a dinning room ect. 

Overall i think this is a good swede idea to use because it will be very low budget if not no budget and all. The scenes can be set up easily also we have enough people in class to cast all the roles the only exception is that girls might have to dress up as boys.













Sweding

Sweding

Sweding is the summarized recreation of popular pop-culture films using limited budgets and a camcorder. The process is called sweding. Upon completion the film has been sweded.



Origins: 
In the Michel Gondry film BE KIND REWIND, the character Jerry accidentally erases the videotapes at Mos Def's rental store, and the pair remake all the movies themselves. These versions become popular with customers, who are told they take longer to arrive and cost more because they come from Sweden. Hence, the films are referred to as 'Sweded'.