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Final Titles

We originally wanted to track our titles onto surfaces using Adobe After Effects (as below), so that it appeared the titles were layered onto surfaces, but found it was difficult for a number of reasons:

• 
  
  There weren't enough shots that were long enough to have a title in it, and we didn't want to have the same title in consective shots.
• 
  
  There weren't enough suitable tracking points in many of the shots, and many of the shots are handheld so the shot moves too irregularly to track effectively.
• 
  
  The process is very time consuming, and we didn't have that much time.

After much discussion we finally ended up putting our titles before and after the sequence itself. This was for many reasons. Firstly we felt that it allowed suspense to build up before the sequence started itself. The opening sequence now cuts from titles straight into fast paced action which is very effective in delivering a shock to the audience.

 Secondly we didnt want to take away from the quality of the sequence itself. When placing titles in the sequence we felt it distracted the viewer away frrom the suspense of the sequence itself.


We were influenced to have these titles at the begining and end from many films such as The Bourne Supremacy which is a very similar genre to ours and then also a Monty Python film which although different in genre uses the titles very successfully.

Errors in our sequence: EDITED BY HUGH

Here are all the continuity errors that we have noticed in our sequenced, most of which were noticed well after the shoot. We are all very disappointed to have not noticed them earlier as we were unable to mask them effectively in editing.

After editing the final sequence, Hugh re-edited the sequence on a new timeline on the edit suite, slowing down each error. It was uploaded to youtube and annotated, pointing out these errors (and topped off with an appropriate soundtrack).

Behind the Scenes: EDITED BY TOM A

Group Reflections

We are all very happy with our finished sequence, and are very pleased to have finished the production side of this project. We set out to create a sequence that was completely different to all the horror openings that had been made before, and are satisfied that we have done this successfully.

• We love the pace and excitement of the opening part of the sequence
• We also like the the tension created in the latter part of the sequence, especially when Hugh enters the house
• The music gave us a lot of stress during editing, but we think the the final soundtrack works very effectively with the images and titles

• We also like the narrative of our sequence
• We like the way we have framed the shots, and the way that we have edited it to make a continuous sequence
• We like the acting, and are especially surprised with Hugh's ability to drop seemlessly into character, delivering an convincing and believable performance throughout
• We are pleased that the titles work effectively, and dont take anything away from our sequence, dispite us not being able to track the titles properly.

However...

• There are many, many continuity errors in our sequence, such as doors being open/closed when they shouldnt be, things disappearing from rooms, mist disappearing from windows, etc.
• We were disappointted that we were unable to track titles onto surfaces, but this was not possible in the time given
• We dont like Hughs costume, but we made the decision to leave it unchanged from the test shoot so that we did not have to reshoot all of our sequence in difficult weather conditions

Storyboard of our opening sequence:

Here are pictures of the storyboards we created for our opening sequence before our first shoot. (This is a very late post as I lost my USB wire which linked my phone to my computer, so was unable to upload pictures.)

Final Cut

Titles - Names and order

We have drawn up a rough draft of all the names we will be using in our sequence as the opening credits and the order they will appear.
They will go as follows:

Focus Entertainment,
AX Productions,
Infinite Pictures
Matteo Bragoli,
Hugh Donnelly,
Directed by Tomas Poffley,
Produced by Thomas Aston,
Director of Photography Frank Imura,
Music by Thomas Aston,
Executive producer Hugh Donnelly

Facebook Message

We have a facebook message so that we can communicate when we do not see each other at school eg. at half term or at weekends. This allows us to tell each member of the group any ideas or suggestions that we may have, and we can discuss them easily.

Titles - Order

We weren't really sure about the order that the titles come in. 

In the Watchmen opening sequence, this the order. We plan to loosely copy the order, but we will not include some of them. The video could not be embedded, but here is the URL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=573XmVOdD2Q

• Distributors
• Local distributors
• Producer
• Director
• Watchmen
• All the actors
• Casting
• Visual effects
• Costume
• Music
• Co-producer
• Editor
• Production designer
• Director of photography
• Executive producers
• The novel, marvel comics etc
• Screenplay
• The director again

Rough Cut

Teacher Feedback: DYM

I must point out that the lack of posts for the past week and a bit is almost completely down to Hugh being on holiday. But we have completed our rough cut, and here is the feedback:

• The beginning of the sequence needs to be slowed down
• The kidnapper looks around too much - needs to be more subtle
• All the stairwell shots work well
• Matt shouldnt leave the door open when he enters the house
• Pull focus on the bannisters?
• Try different focuses for the wolfman shot

Test Shoot Photos

Script

Here is the final version of our script
 
hugh tom and toms script

Continuity Editing Techniques

Continuity editing refers to a set of rules that all fimmakers stick to. It allows the images to be stuck together to create a seamless narrative. We must also be thinking about these rules when we come to make our sequences.

180 degree rule

The 180 degree rule refers to an imaginary line which cuts through the middle of the scene, for example though the two main characters. The camera must stay on the same side of this line for the entire scene, otherwise the viewers perspective is changed, which may result in diorientation or confusion.

30 degree rule

This rule says that the camera should move at least 30 degrees when cutting between two shots of the same person or object to avoid a jump cut. An example of a jump cut can be seen at 2:40 in the linked sequence from Casino Royale. http://latymermediahughtomatomp.blogspot.com/2010/01/shot-references-james-bond.html

Match on action

This is where two shots are cut together so that the action in the second shot matches the action in the first shot. For example, a door opening, shot from both inside and outside the room, will be cut as the door is half-open, and will continue in the second shot from the same position.

Production Meeting 5

This meeting was again spent storyboarding. Only me (Tom P) and Hugh were present because Tom A was in court. The storyboard has finally been almost completed however it has taken an extremely long time. The time spent is the equivilent of the running time of the film Avatar (2 hours and 40 minutes).

From this meeting we have decided that the next priorities are the shot list and scipt.

Production Meeting 4

This meeting has been mostly spent on storyboarding our sequence. The timeline was also finished and a list of props, actors and costume was made. The storyboard is about a quarter complete and very time consuming due to the number of shots we plan to have.

The main task that has been set is to finish our storyboard as soon as possible so changes can made if needed and all is ready for our test shoot on Sunday.

Opening Sequence Timeline

• Matt runs through gate
• Matt continues to run through carpark
• He reaches gate and opens it
• He runs through garden
• He fumbles through keys and then opens back door
• He runs up a short flight of stairs and through a room
• He runs into the front hall up a long flight of stairs
• On the first floor he runs up another flight of stairs and enters a room
• Here he crouches by a wall next to a window
• The sequence then cuts to a shot of a car pulling up in front of this house
• A shot is shown of the rear view mirror with armed man's eyes
• The man picks up a balaclava and puts it on
• The man steps out of the car and is shown holding a gun
• The sequence cuts back to Matt who is shown looking at this man
• It then cuts back to the armed man who is looking around
• From Matt's point of view again the man is shown to make eye contact with him
• Matt then crouches back behind the window and mutters 'Ah shit!'
• Camera lingers on Matt and a loud noise is heard which indicates that the man has broken into the house
• Armed man is shown in the front hall and begins to move up the stairs
• Matt realises he is in danger, he starts to run even further upstairs
• Crosscuts are shown between Matt running upstairs and hiding and the armed man moving up the stairs
• Slower cross cuts between Matt hiding and the armed man searching upstairs
• Armed man finally is shown a the door of the room Matt is in
• Armed man walks in, whilst looking around Matt tries to disarm him
• After a brief tangle Matt is pinned up against a wall with a gun to his head
• Matt gets knocked out with the gun

Shot References: James Bond

2.40 - Jump cut editing

0.25 - Rear view mirror shot

0.29 - Car track/pan shot - hugh getting out of car, ends with close up of gun

1.03 - Reverse track

1.14 - Running pan to CU

1.46 - LA running pan

3.17 - Reverse track MCU

0.14 - CU of hand

2.17 - MLS of character hiding

These shot references are some examples of shots we wish to mimic in our opening sequence. Having thse will be very useful because it will allow us to have a guide while storyboarding and shooting our sequence.

Industry Film Crew

This is an example of an filming crew in an industrial context (filming for an advert on Glasslyn Road N8, 28/01/10).

As you can see they have masses of personnel and equipment, with roughly 30 people in or outside the house, and 5 large van-loads of equipment. Obviously, we only have a camera, a light, and and mic plus whatever else we can get our hands on, and a production team of 3, so filming all of our sequence in 2 days will be a real challenge for us.

There have been 2 or 3 other instances in the past year or so when film crews have been to shoot on this road, and many films have used nearby roads as locations, such as Shaun's house in  Shaun of the Dead and the driving instruction scenes in Happy Go Lucky.

Its kind of cool to think that houses and streets very similar to the one we are using for our shoot are used by the advertising, television and film industries.