REBECCA G321

This week we have finished editing our first draft and we hope to upload it very soon. Editing was a challenging and interesting process; we think that our product has been greatly improved by it.

Logo/ Justification - Olutobi Odeleye

As I am an experienced and a confident user of Photoshop CS5, I used this advantage in making our company Logo. The Letters in the logo “TLS” is made up of the first letter of our names. I used various blending options on Photoshop to bring out the crooked look of the logo, which justifies the thriller genre in which we are exhibiting. Likewise the letters are joined, to add to the "creepyness" of our clip.The grey, black and red colour used for the logo represents emotions the protagonists and the antagonists portray in the film, and likewise the code and conventions of a thriller film.

Blue Screen Technology - Olutobi Odeleye

Blue Screen Technology

In order to make the graphical context of our opening more of higher standards, we decided to add the blue screen technology. This is used primarily in the making of movies, this technology allows actors to perform in front of a blue background screen, upon which background images are superimposed later by computer. Blue screen is a technique that is referred to as colour keying, colour -separation overlay.

I also looked into films that used blue screen, I found that 300 (2006, Zack Snyder) used blue screen in particular.

From the acclaimed graphic novel artist Frank Miller, came the story of a heroic Spartan King who led his soldiers into an epic battle against the Persians. A few years later, this graphic novel has been made into a successful film filled with action-packed scenes benefited by the art department of both the 3D and visual effects. The film as a whole has been built with computer-based effects like visual effects and 3D, but also used actual props to make this film more believable to the audiences. Because the movie was based on a story of an ancient Greek legend, this was the best opportunity for the story to seem more realistic through a motion picture, and visually impacted with the technology of the film art department. Throughout some parts of the film, the environment shots are mainly an actual miniature sculpture that has been shot from a primary angle in a blue screen, and then later adding in the background along with the characters in the scene to make it look like an actual setting. From everything to all the battle scenes to a normal setting scene, the actors were shot in a blue-screen room along with props and limited built-environments on the set.

This as added to our inspirations and we would use this technology, by creating an artificial background

In additional, we are also checking YouTube for tutorials on how to do the settings required, likewise with the help of our teacher.

Weekly Update - Laura collins

We already started filming, and it is going rather smoothly however we had minor weather delays the first day we started as it started to rain. However we got really nice filming. we still need to upload more things on our blog.

Treatments - Olutobi Odeleye

Treatments

Production

The product that will be set is an opening sequence two-minute thriller sequence titled “REBECCA”. The marketing campaign techniques we are going to input into our sequences would be accessed through the mediums of the Internet, Social networks, Billboards and TV. Our aim is to manipulate our target audience so they can be engage on the product we will deliver. The Internet will allow us to target our audience effectively because it makes it easier for the consumers to access the product. Hence why a fan page is also created on Face Book so the audience can act interactively to share opinions and engage in the product. This shows elements of proliferation as we are constantly finding new ways in which the target audience could be aware of our opening sequences, and give feedbacks by engaging them in various accesses of mediums. Merchandising will also be provided to our consumers, as we are promoting our product.

Target Audience

The target audience for the sequences would be directed towards the age group of 15+ because the BBFC was considered before thinking of the target audience which this emphasise on what is appropriate and in appropriate for this age group. Also in considering the demographic social class status, D1-E will be targeted because on average 15+ age group are considered as students who doesn’t earn above the maximum of £5000 a year hence different criteria’s need to be examined in making sure they kept engage, and how its applied and represented as them. However this thriller can still be applicable to the older audience of perhaps 21+. The first example to examine will be to use the language in which the target audience can associate them selves with or perhaps understand in order to engage them and keep them entertained. Both male and female will be interested in this thriller genre therefore the enigma must be put across to the audience and a positive vibe or effect must be created. To intrigue the audience we must use techniques such as using both suspense and twist in the opening sequence of ‘Rebecca’

Context

The product will be exhibited through many media mainstreams and platforms in order to target our audience directly. This includes YouTube, its a video blog platform in which people share videos and interact amongst themselves, this medium attracts younger audience as they have access to internet and the computer, also video blogs shows high level of involvement, once our opening sequence is uploaded to YouTube, we could here audience feed back, and likewise it could be distributed to face book through HTML, or hyperlinks from YouTube. Television is a media mainstream in which a high population of our target audience use , they specifically watch Channel 4 , E4 ITV1 etc, because there is audience identification and the TV shows, films are drama direct there aims towards the younger age group, therefore we would make good use of this advantage and distribute our sequence to this channels. We aim to be successful in making the audience familiarise or be aware of our product by the ways in which we hope to publicise our opening sequence.

Media Language

In our opening sequence we are going to use different technical aspect in media to illustrate what is happening in the scene to the audience. E.g. the Editing technique shows juxtaposition of shots where Rebecca (Protagonists) is running away from something perhaps from the audience perceived as the “antagonists” in whom she’s running away from. Then the camera zooms out as she is running away, and long shot is used to see where she’s running to or establishing the surroundings of where she is running, then close up is used on her face, so the audience sees that she is in fear and anxious about something, this makes the audience sympathise with the Protagonists and creates an enigma in the audience wanting to find out what happens next.

Then also when Rebecca trips and falls down on the floor, transitions is used as the scene freeze and there is a caption placed on the screen. This gives the audience time to reflect on what is going on in the sequence and also engage them and bring about the conventions a thriller genre creates. In the area of cinematography a POV (point of view) shot is used and also the camera is shaky, which shows the anticipation and rushing effect of the character which makes the audience see them as the protagonist’s character. The next scene shows Rebecca barging someone as she runs and a 2 shot is used to show a direct physical contact, the 2 shot must be successful in establishing that the unknown character is not related to the Protagonists in any way the camera then goes to a medium shot of her running away, this connotates the urge and desperateness in running away from something.

Within our opening sequence the use of sound will be used effectively, e.g. score music would be used to create the thriller conventions, and perhaps major keys will be used to create tension and to create a negative atmosphere. The 15+ age group are not likely to be engage with a soundless or monotone piece of production. Therefore the use of tempos dynamics discordant will be used effectively. The Diegetic sound that would be used would be the one or two use of dialogue this is because the aims of using just 1 or 2 dialogue must prevent the audience from diverting their attentions to the conversations but rather just be engage in the build up of the sequence and how it leaves them hanging in suspense. E.g. when Rebecca Barge’s into the unknown character, the unknown character says “Are you okay?”She replies in a vulnerable voice back “get off me”. Non-diegetic sound will be used will be from the beginning of the film until the main dialogue which then rises again after that conversation is over. synchronous sound will be used where Rebecca insert the key inside the door , and then opens the door which establishes the protagonists as entered into another surrounding perhaps perceived as an escape from the antagonist, this gives audience has a sense of relief. Then when she punches the Antagonists who is seen at the end, the phone drops on the phone from his hands also. Now the audience are now able to put everything in order as the antagonists being the victim or perhaps the typical convent enemy.

The props and lightings shows that the thriller convention in the sense that, strong lights are shown on the character’s face so the build of fear is created.

Institutions

The institutions of this film production are a group of three students from Havering College of further and higher Education. We formed the company in year 2010 and established ourselves through different mediums. The company name is called TLS, which is the first letters of each of our names Tobi, Laura and Safia. The company Logo is called TLS, and our Motto is called “Capturing Moving Image in High Def”.

Our product will be distributed across the internet through many different mediums such as the internet, newspapers TV etc which enables us to target consumers globally.

Representations

Representation is the way that media products construct a sense of reality and offer us the idea that we are seeing on the screen is related to the real world, so it is being represented to us. Our film production characters are represented as the typical hegemonic stereotype of males and females. When Rebecca was running endlessly whilst acting as a frightened person and portraying a victimised character, this could be represented as a female who is weak, defenceless and always the easier target. However when it reach the end scene, where the audience then finds out that she tired the antagonists to the chair, the reverse portrayal is shown, where now the female is represented as someone who has “guts” , very brave, and likewise twisted. While John the antagonist is represented as defenceless because he is tied up to chair, also demined where the audience could see he is wearing his boxers only.

Genre

Within our open sequence we plan to stick with some of the typical thriller convections such as having a twist at the end, as our location doesn’t maintain a sinister, unnerving surrounding but the opposite which helps create enigmas raised as it becomes unexpected. Another convention we plan to use which is commonly used in thrillers is the ‘good vs. evil’ characters; this will be shown more in our featured film synopsis, as there will be a clear protagonist and antagonist. At the beginning of the open sequence the audiences have a sense that they can tell the clear antagonist but as we proceed on within the film it becomes clear at the end which is where the twist comes in that there is more than one antagonist. With the use of our location going against a typical thriller scene it raises tension which brings about the unexpected incident.

Meeting Minutes - Olutobi Odeleye

This meeting consists of the three of us I, Laura and Safia. We arranged to meet up on the 16th February 2011 to discuss the progress of our production. This meeting lasted approx.30 Minutes, GMT.17:00- 17:30pm.

17:00 – 17:10pm: Individual Work.

We had an overview of our work individually in order to see how far we have gone, likewise check the task list to see if they are correct and oversee what still need to be done. We had an issue where one of the group member felt the work was not spread evenly hence we had to re do who was doing which task was left, and set it out evenly. We also did background research of other people who had completed their 2 minute opening sequence in the previous years, to motivate ideas from for our thriller genre piece.

17:10 – 17:20pm: Filming.

We started talking about our potential locations and when we would start to film, we had three different sceneries in nearest town we could use, which was a subway tunnel near the station, near the market and the park. We decided we would have to go view these locations before we decide to use any of them. Laura whose role is the camera person, wanted us to go over the story Board and to discuss how we would implement the shots for the production and thought of new shots. However we concluded on the date we would start filming which is the 3^rd week of February, on the 15^th, a Monday because that is when our Actress (Emma Worby) would be available.

17:20 – 17:30pm: Moving Forward.

We had insight from our teacher on other things that need to be put on the group blog, and things we should add to our individual blog. Also we have to make sure we start filming and finish editing at the same time, in order to focus on the overall evaluation of the production.

Conclusion

We aim to have finished filming two weeks time commencing the above date.