1. Make sure that the call sheet is very precise and that there actually is a call sheet.
2. Charge all camera batteries fully before the shoot.
3. Bring an extra SD/MicroSD card in case, or make sure you have enough space on the SD cards you are bringing, before the shoot.
4. Bring more than one battery to the shoot, that is fully charged.
5. Make sure weeks before hand that the actors in the scene can DEFINITELY make it; but even if they can make it, still prepare a substitute actor/replacement in case they can't in the end.
6. Make sure what you have in mind for the scene, is fully noted down e.g. in a storyboard, shot list or call sheet, to give a rough idea of the order you want all scenes and shots to go in.
7. Make sure to film a variety of shots of the same thing so that you have lots of different shots you can use for that particular scene.
8. Try to set a time slot for how long you want to film a particular scene so that you don't go overtime and drag the whole filming process on for hours (this is annoying).
In this production, I learned many different production skills such as:
1. How to film with a GoPro, Gimbal, GorillaPod,
2. How to organise cast.
3. How to plan shoots (e.g. with call sheets, shot lists, storyboards etc.).
4. How to film in the most efficient way in a limited amount of time.
5. How to make sure to get cast that will be reliable or to just ask very in advance if they can act in your film; but even still, you should make sure you have a replacement/substitute actor for them even if they say yes they can come.
Tuesday 28 February 2017
Thursday 23 February 2017
TARGET AUDIENCE For My Film
There are a lot of different social groups that exist in all genres of film, including my film. Some of these include:
- Age
- Gender
- Sexuality
- Ethnicity
- Homosexuality
- Disability
AGE
From doing research into the target audience of the slasher genre, I found out that the primary target audience age for slasher horror films is 15-24 or 18-24. There are also secondary audiences for slasher horrors such as tweens and adults aged 24+. This influenced my decision on the target audience age for my film.
From doing research into the target audience of the slasher genre, I found out that the primary target audience age for slasher horror films is 15-24 or 18-24. There are also secondary audiences for slasher horrors such as tweens and adults aged 24+. This influenced my decision on the target audience age for my film.
The primary target audience for my film is 15-24 year olds. Usually a film's main protagonists reflect that age of the primary audience. In my film opening, there is a teenage cast so this would attract a teenage audience. I chose to use actors of this age so that our target audience can relate to the characters more, rather than having the actors of an older age where my target audience won't be able to relate. There is also some cast that are age 19-20 which would attract a young adult audience. The final girl that I chose to use in my film is somewhat a countertype of the stereotypical final girl because she is attractive, wears make up and is not a virgin. I wanted to use countertypes in my film opening because I don't like the normative representations in slasher films. But on the other hand, she does have some traits that are typical for the stereotypical final girl such as being a brunette, being clever, knowledgable and resourceful.
The secondary audience for my film is tweens (children aged 8-12) and adults aged (24+). I think tweens would be the secondary audience because, for many films, people under the age of the age rating of a film go and try to watch these films online illegally because they can't go and buy it in a shop or watch it at the cinema. My BBFC age rating is 15 so tweens would be younger than the age rating here.
The secondary audience for my film is tweens (children aged 8-12) and adults aged (24+). I think tweens would be the secondary audience because, for many films, people under the age of the age rating of a film go and try to watch these films online illegally because they can't go and buy it in a shop or watch it at the cinema. My BBFC age rating is 15 so tweens would be younger than the age rating here.
GENDER
From doing research into the slasher genre, I found out that for target gender, slasher horrors usually attract a predominant male audience. Also, the 'final girl' character attracts a strong female audience because this character is the main protagonist and therefore survives.
The target gender for my film opening is males and females. I think the tough, resourceful female character (the 'final girl'), that I have in my horror slasher film opening, helps to draw in a female audience. I believe that a female audience will relate to this final girl (final girl - Evie).
From doing research into the slasher genre, I found out that for target gender, slasher horrors usually attract a predominant male audience. Also, the 'final girl' character attracts a strong female audience because this character is the main protagonist and therefore survives.
The fact that the killer in my film opening is female may also attract a female audience because this is a countertype of the usual male killer.
I think the horror, gore, torture, mystery and action would attract a male audience for example in the rape chase scene and the lair scene. The rape chase scene obviously includes a 'rape' and this, I think, would attract this male audience because there are two guys hunting down a vulnerable, attractive, feminine teenage girl which relates to the idea of slasher films having an object of a knife that makes a slash - this can be interpreted as a phalic object and movement (slashing movement) to symbolize rape. Also, I think a male audience would relate to the scream king later on in the film opening because he is a normal teenage boy. Also, I have used Laura Mulvey's 'Male Gaze theory' on the killer to attract the male audience. The female killer is dressed in sexy clothing: black sparkly dress, black fishnet tights and black high heels; Some of the shots of the female killer objectify the killer (mid shots of the killer's legs walking, shot of her licking a knife) to attract a male audience.
When doing research into the slasher horror genre, I looked at a past student's blog, Sophie Rasmussen, and found some statistics from a British Film Institute from 2012, which showed me that the amount of males and females under the age of 35 watch horror films is almost the same, this connotes that the audience for horror is both females and males.
I think that these statistics are the way they are because in slasher films, there is a strong female main protagonist that attracts a strong female audience and the horror, gore and action that is present in slashers attracts a strong male audience.
ETHNICITY
From doing research into the slasher genre, I found out that most slasher films mainly contain caucasian characters to attract a caucasian audience.
Although in Scream 2 there are black characters.
Halloween:
This film predominantly contains caucasian characters.
Jennifer's Body
This film predominantly contains caucasian characters.
Scream/Scream 2
The two characters at the start of the film die (making them scream queens/kings) and they are black.
Friday the 13th Remake:
This film predominantly contains caucasian characters.
From doing research into the slasher genre, I found out that most slasher films mainly contain caucasian characters to attract a caucasian audience.
Although in Scream 2 there are black characters.
Halloween:
This film predominantly contains caucasian characters.
Jennifer's Body
This film predominantly contains caucasian characters.
Scream/Scream 2
The two characters at the start of the film die (making them scream queens/kings) and they are black.
Friday the 13th Remake:
This film predominantly contains caucasian characters.
In my film opening, I contained mainly just caucasian characters to attract a mainly caucasian audience; there was one character that was Indonesian in the green screen abduction scene but other than that all the characters were caucasian. Although, if I was making an entire film of this film opening, I would definitely want to include some non-caucasian characters for sure to challenge this specific stereotype/convention of slasher horrors.
SEXUALITY
From doing research into the slasher genre, I found out that in the slasher genre, the characters are usually heterosexual to attract a mainstream audience. The audience consider this to be a normative representation therefore attracting a mainstream audience because people relate to normative representations. This slasher target audience' sexuality influenced the decision on the target audience' sexuality, for my film.
In my production, all the characters are heterosexual. By doing this I am reinforcing a normative representation as stated above.
In some ways, my film represents a certain aspect of sexuality, because the killer's weapon is a knife. The knife is considered to be a phallic object because it connotes sexual assault. So, the fact that the female killer in my film killed the boy who raped her before, with a knife, connotes that she is getting revenge on him by doing exactly what he did to her, rape. But I like the fact that in my film, a female is using the phallic knife object giving out a message that men can get raped too.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC GROUPING/CLASSFrom doing research into the slasher genre, I found out that in the slasher genre, the characters are usually heterosexual to attract a mainstream audience. The audience consider this to be a normative representation therefore attracting a mainstream audience because people relate to normative representations. This slasher target audience' sexuality influenced the decision on the target audience' sexuality, for my film.
In my production, all the characters are heterosexual. By doing this I am reinforcing a normative representation as stated above.
In some ways, my film represents a certain aspect of sexuality, because the killer's weapon is a knife. The knife is considered to be a phallic object because it connotes sexual assault. So, the fact that the female killer in my film killed the boy who raped her before, with a knife, connotes that she is getting revenge on him by doing exactly what he did to her, rape. But I like the fact that in my film, a female is using the phallic knife object giving out a message that men can get raped too.
From doing research into the slasher genre, I found out that the socio-economic group for slasher horror films is class C2-E. So, I think the socio-economic group of my target audience for my film would be class C2-E (due to slasher genre). Young adults who are in the E group are the primary audience.
USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORY
There are 4 specific gratifications:
1. Escapism/Diversion
This gratification appears in my film. The fact that my film is a horror slasher, makes my film easy to escape and divert into from every day activities/routines, this is because horror slashers are fiction and full of action and suspense.
2. Personal Identity
This gratification appears in my film through the teen characters (the final girl, scream kings, killer), they are relatable to a teen audience.
3. Personal Relationships
This gratification appears in my film. My target audience will relate to the relationships in this film.
4. Surveillance
This gratification doesn't really appear in my film because my film is fictional and does not contain any non-fictional information to engage in.
BBFC AGE RATING
After doing research into the age ratings of existing slasher films I decided that my film opening would be most likely have an BBFC age rating of 15. By clicking the link below, you will see that the age rating of 15 includes the following:
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/15
- Language (There may be strong language. Very strong language may be permitted, depending on the manner in which it is used, who is using the language, its frequency within the work as a whole and any special contextual justification).
- Sex (Sexual activity may be portrayed, but usually without strong detail)
- Nudity (There may be nudity in a sexual context but usually without strong detail).
- Violence (Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but the depiction of sexual violence must be discreet and justified by context).
- Discriminatory language or behaviour (The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour, although there may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory themes and language).
- Drug taking (Drug taking may be shown but the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse, for example, through instructional detail. The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances, for example, aerosols or solvents, is unlikely to be acceptable).
Monday 20 February 2017
SHOOT DATES
LAIR SCENE SHOOT
14/01/17
Everything filmed in one shoot with actors present
RAPE CHASE SCENE SHOOT
21/01/17
GREENSCREEN ABDUCTION SCENE SHOOT
31/01/17
Everything filmed in one shoot with actors present
RE-SHOOT OF RAPE CHASE SCENE
05/02/17
14/01/17
Everything filmed in one shoot with actors present
RAPE CHASE SCENE SHOOT
21/01/17
GREENSCREEN ABDUCTION SCENE SHOOT
31/01/17
Everything filmed in one shoot with actors present
RE-SHOOT OF RAPE CHASE SCENE
05/02/17
Thursday 9 February 2017
Friday 3 February 2017
GREENSCREEN Media Trip
On the 31st of January, the media students of year 11, 12 and 13 and the actors for their productions went to Centre de Jeunesse Marienthal, rue de Keispelt, L-7411 Marienthal.
This opportunity taught me how to film with a proper greenscreen and gave me an insight of what filming entails with a greenscreen.
I found out that the cast for the party scene in my film opening could not make it for the date I set to film it on (Saturday 28th of January). So, I told Mr Burrowes this on Monday 30th of January and he said I could try and film a scene replacing this party scene on the green screen trip the next day (Tuesday 31st of January). This meant I had to think of a whole new other idea (that took advantage of the green screen studio) overnight, meaning I had to do some quick creative thinking.
So, my new idea was that I would film the actors from the rape chase scene acting in a new 'fake' film. This meant getting Alex and Richard acting in a fake film within my film opening. The fake film within my film opening is the same scene as the very first scene of my actual film opening but without the rape.
Instead, Richard and Alex are acting the roles of killers, not rapists. They also use the same paper bag which was used when they raped the girl, within this fake film. Alex puts the bag over another girl's head (Adel) in this fake film and Richard puts a knife around her neck.
Now, the name has changed from the Party Scene to the Green Screen Abduction Scene.
Since the Party Scene has changed entirely, the casting has also changed. Richard still remains in this scene, Adel Aitey is in this scene instead of Aubrey and Simon Svensson is taking the role of Alex because Alex couldn't come to the green screen studio for filming the Green Screen Abduction Scene.
This opportunity taught me how to film with a proper greenscreen and gave me an insight of what filming entails with a greenscreen.
I found out that the cast for the party scene in my film opening could not make it for the date I set to film it on (Saturday 28th of January). So, I told Mr Burrowes this on Monday 30th of January and he said I could try and film a scene replacing this party scene on the green screen trip the next day (Tuesday 31st of January). This meant I had to think of a whole new other idea (that took advantage of the green screen studio) overnight, meaning I had to do some quick creative thinking.
So, my new idea was that I would film the actors from the rape chase scene acting in a new 'fake' film. This meant getting Alex and Richard acting in a fake film within my film opening. The fake film within my film opening is the same scene as the very first scene of my actual film opening but without the rape.
Instead, Richard and Alex are acting the roles of killers, not rapists. They also use the same paper bag which was used when they raped the girl, within this fake film. Alex puts the bag over another girl's head (Adel) in this fake film and Richard puts a knife around her neck.
Now, the name has changed from the Party Scene to the Green Screen Abduction Scene.
Since the Party Scene has changed entirely, the casting has also changed. Richard still remains in this scene, Adel Aitey is in this scene instead of Aubrey and Simon Svensson is taking the role of Alex because Alex couldn't come to the green screen studio for filming the Green Screen Abduction Scene.
Thursday 2 February 2017
Production BUDGET
LAIR SCENE:
PROP COSTS
Pieces of meat (beef): €5.70
Candles in a pack (small) - €1.50
Two big candles - €3.99
Powdered sugar - €0.75
Red food colouring - €1.20
All tools used in the scene were free for me to use because my step dad owns many tools since he works in construction.
TRANSPORT COSTS
No transport costs because the actor Alex came by bus to the location (buses are free for students in Luxembourg) and the actor Emma was driven to the location by her dad.
FOOD/DRINK COSTS
No food/drink costs because we only filmed for 2-3 hours.
RAPE CHASE SCENE:
PROP COSTS
Nothing bought
I found the brown paper bag prop in my house.
My step dad owns the pocket knife prop used by one of the rapists in this scene.
TRANSPORT COSTS
Richard took the train from Trier, Germany. This cost €
FOOD/DRINK COSTS
No food/drink costs.
PARTY SCENE:
GREENSCREEN ABDUCTION SCENE:
PROP COSTS
Nothing bought
I found the drinking flask prop in my house.
TRANSPORT COSTS
No transport costs because all the actors and I were taken to the studio by our school's provided buses because it was a school media trip to the greenscreen studio.
FOOD/DRINK COSTS
No food/drink costs because we only filmed for 2-3 hours.
PROP COSTS
Pieces of meat (beef): €5.70
Candles in a pack (small) - €1.50
Two big candles - €3.99
Powdered sugar - €0.75
Red food colouring - €1.20
All tools used in the scene were free for me to use because my step dad owns many tools since he works in construction.
TRANSPORT COSTS
No transport costs because the actor Alex came by bus to the location (buses are free for students in Luxembourg) and the actor Emma was driven to the location by her dad.
FOOD/DRINK COSTS
No food/drink costs because we only filmed for 2-3 hours.
RAPE CHASE SCENE:
PROP COSTS
Nothing bought
I found the brown paper bag prop in my house.
My step dad owns the pocket knife prop used by one of the rapists in this scene.
TRANSPORT COSTS
Richard took the train from Trier, Germany. This cost €
FOOD/DRINK COSTS
No food/drink costs.
GREENSCREEN ABDUCTION SCENE:
PROP COSTS
Nothing bought
I found the drinking flask prop in my house.
TRANSPORT COSTS
No transport costs because all the actors and I were taken to the studio by our school's provided buses because it was a school media trip to the greenscreen studio.
FOOD/DRINK COSTS
No food/drink costs because we only filmed for 2-3 hours.
Wednesday 1 February 2017
CHARACTERS In My Film Opening
1. Jennifer
...
This character is the female rape victim who then turns into the female killer later in the film opening. I was influenced by the films Jennifer's Body and I Spit On Your Grave to call the female main character Jennifer. The main female character in I Spit On Your Grave is called Jennifer, she gets revenge on all the men who raped her, one by one. The killer in the film Jennifer's Body is called Jennifer also. The rape vicim version of Jennifer wears a pink puffa coat, black wedged high heeled boots, black skinny jeans, a white jumper hoodie and a grey hoodie (two hoodies).
...
This is the female rape victim as the female killer. With my killer, her motives are the rape. The fact that she was raped has completely traumatised her. She is extremely angry so she wants revenge on the two men that raped her, and all the people who are friends/girlfriends with them. You don't really see her face at all in the film opening accept in the lair, when you see her mouth when she licks the knife, it builds narrative enigma by not showing her face. The 'scream king' is 17 and this is anchored by the clothes that he is wearing, the 'scream king' usually wears little clothing that is revealing.
The killer version of Jennifer wears black heels, black fishnet tights, a black sparkly dress and red nail varnish.
...
This is the female rape victim as the female killer. With my killer, her motives are the rape. The fact that she was raped has completely traumatised her. She is extremely angry so she wants revenge on the two men that raped her, and all the people who are friends/girlfriends with them. You don't really see her face at all in the film opening accept in the lair, when you see her mouth when she licks the knife, it builds narrative enigma by not showing her face. The 'scream king' is 17 and this is anchored by the clothes that he is wearing, the 'scream king' usually wears little clothing that is revealing. The killer version of Jennifer wears black heels, black fishnet tights, a black sparkly dress and red nail varnish.
...
2. Brad Storch
...
This character is one of the rapists in the rape chase scene at the start of my film opening. He wears black jeans, a hoodie, a green t shirt and black boots. He also has a stubble which has negative connotations of antagonist.
...
3. Stanley Miller
...
This character is one of the rapists who rapes Jennifer in the first scene of my film opening. He is the leader out of the two rapists, so Jennifer targets him first.
...
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