25. Our initial ideas

Here are our initial ideas for our own title sequences. This is part of our 'Head on' activity about our influences and thoughts.

Task 26: Who is my target audience and which of my ideas do they prefer?

Using survey monkey, I asked my audience which of our ideas they preferred.

Here is the survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QWR6SCG

In this survey, I asked the audience which genders the main characters should be and why this choice appeals to them.

These are the questions asked:

These are the results to 1 and 3:

These are the results to 2 and 4:

24. Idea for title sequence

In this presentation I talk about my own idea for a title sequence.

Task 24: Ideas For Original Title Sequences

Title Sequence Ideas

After a lot of thought and in-depth research i decided to create a horror Title sequences. There is a lot of varies types of horror, and categories, but i want to focus on a psychological horror film, with elements of gore, killer, and supernatural. 

The rough plot of the movie would be about a psycho killer, who elaborately manages to stalk, and  murder  all his victims without ever being caught. We has a special murder ritual that never fails him, but one time he messes it up, and ends up with a demon/vampier (inhuman remain of a human). This brings in the supernatural element. The actual movie would focus on the conflict between the human killer, and the now inhuman victim, who seeks revenge.  Their roles will get swapped and now the victim will be the killer.

The title sequence would focus on setting up the plot and illustrating the back story of the killer.  The sequence would feature a figure in dark clothes, e.g black hoodie, in his lair. He would be on his compute gathering knowledge about his latest victim. The camera would show shots of his mind maps, the triple compute screen, and possible shrine.  This idea was heavily inspired by 'Pretty Little Liars', and their main villain figure, 'A'.

The scene would switch to inside a house, showing shots of the killer entering, opening the door etc., all from behind. It would switch the p.o.v, and the camera would show what he is seeing. The audience would see the following events as if they were the killer. We would look down at his hands with the murder weapon in them. Then we would see the victim, but the shot would be unclear and distorted.  We would get close up shots of varied body parts, bloody, bruised and at weird angles. We would pan the body and close up on the face. the eyes would be closed and she would appear lifeless. The eyes would then suddenly open and be black/ red. And the scene would cut to black.

The main characters would be the psycho killer. He would be in his middle/late 20's. highly intelligent, to an arrogant extent.  He could be In the upper classes, but his life style doesn't allow for that.  The victim would be a young girl, in her late teens/ early 20's. Middle class. Average intelligence but fueled by rage.

(rough idea sketches)

24) Individual idea

23. Initial Creative Ideas

We had to create an idea based around a random Wikipedia article as a title, a prop and a location. We received:

• Region X (a place in Mexico) which was our title
• A hat
• Tube escalators for the Victoria Line

In this video (edited on Camtasia) you can see what we came up with as we presented our idea to the class.

22. Blogging Health Check 1

Since I have started this course I have posted a lot of work to this blog. I think I have put a lot of effort into each post in order to make it more interesting than just normal text. I am happy with the practical work I have done, like the remake activity, where my group and I recreated the title sequence to Gone Girl.

However I did have targets to achieve as some of my posts needed improving:

Since I have gotten this target I have learned how to embed codes on my posts so that the links become a a part of my blog, so that there is no need to betaken to another link in a new tab. I have now also completed all my research tasks so that I can now move on and start the planning for our actual title sequence. 

Overall, I think that so far, I have made good progress since the start of this blog.

21. Practical Remake Activity - Evaluation

My group and I recreated the title sequence to the well known movie Gone Girl for our practical remake activity. As seen in my previous posts, our group had to plan, film and edit this piece in order to accurately remake this sequence. Overall with the final product, I think our group did very well and made a good title sequence.




Planning was the easiest part of creating this piece as we had a shot outline plan and a storyboard (seen on my planning post) which helped us know what types of shots to take. So whilst watching the title sequence to the film we noted down all the shots we would need before we rented our camera and started filming.

Gone Girl (2014) — Art of the Title

Our group did not stray far from the college as it is based in central London, so all of our shots were filmed in Angel. We had filmed in our college, the city and a nearby canal. Because of our location it made it very difficult to get certain shots. For example:

In this shot the actual shot type was supposed to be a long shot as you can see the actor's whole body in the frame. We could not obtain this shot as there was a car in the way where we needed to place the camera, meaning we had to make this a medium long shot. As well as this it was also hard to make all the shots dark like in the actual sequence:

As seen in the image above our shot is not as dark the the actual one. Because of this the title on our shot can not be seen clearly. We tried to edit this and make it darker but it just made the boat in the shot blend into the darkness. As well as this our group could not get certain shots like the close up of a rock on the floor, which meant that we did have some missing titles in the sequence. These are some of the problem we faced, though in the end we were still able to produce our sequence.

However we got some accurate shots that we used in our sequence:

I think that this is a good shot as just like the original, we had got a low angle shot of a clock along surrounded by buildings. This is one of the many good shots we got for our sequence. Some of the titles in the original sequence were on a black screen which we added in using Adobe After Effects (used to add in the titles to all of our shots):

Using this editing feature was very difficult in the beginning as we did not know how to edit title on a black screen or on a moving shot, but the more we used it, the easier it became for us to edit our piece. I'm also happy that we did not just do still shots and that we were able to make a match cut in the sequence which we had posted to Twitter:

So proud of this match cut 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/QdnsWvamAr

— AS Set2 Media Group8 (@Candigroup8) October 19, 2015

Overall, I think our group worked very well together to produce the piece we created and presented the concept of the original sequence in our remake. It was a success. looking back on this, I would choose to focus on time management, as this was the major factor as to why we could not get all the shots. Along with this I would focus on getting more accurate shots as not all of them looked like the ones in the original sequence.

20. Practical Remake Activity - Editing and Final Cut

The final part to completing this task was to edit our title sequence using Adobe Premier Pro and Adobe After Effects. This part was definitely the hardest task to do as there was a lot to edit, and we still had to do a voice over. Before adding the titles we focused on editing the piece together first as it would make it easier to add in the titles. one part of the editing was very important as whilst filming, it was very bright outside, so we had to darken our clips. After we had added in the titles using After Effects we added in our voice over, which we had recorded whilst uploading our clips as well as add in the company idents at the beginning of the sequence.

Throughout the editing process we kept our twitter (@Candigroup8) updated with our work.

Editing 🎥✂️ pic.twitter.com/pUH7999BCW

— AS Set2 Media Group8 (@Candigroup8) October 20, 2015

So proud of this match cut 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/QdnsWvamAr

— AS Set2 Media Group8 (@Candigroup8) October 19, 2015

In the end this was our final product:

19. Practical Remake Activity - Filming

To film for this project, we had to go around outside the college and film in different locations. We stayed close to our college and filmed at places in Angel. Most of the shots we had got were taken in the centre of the city (like the 'clock' shot), though we did take shots by a canal as well (for the 'Gone Girl' shot). There were various shots we needed to obtain like wide shots and panning shots, so this did take quite a lot of time to get, leading to us having to film outside of lessons. However in the end we had gotten most of  the shots required and had to start editing.

While filming we had taken pictures to show our progress. This can be found on our twitter @Candigroup8

18. Practical Remake Activity - Planning

    














For this practical remake activity, our group decided to remake the title sequence for Gone Girl. Before we could do this though we had to plan how we were going to remake this. As seen above, we created a storyboard to illustrate the types of shots we would need to closely recreate this sequence. We found that there were various shots we needed as we watched the opening sequence:

Gone Girl (2014) — Art of the Title

However this planning is crucial in trying to replicate the opening sequence and we tried very hard to perfect it.

Task 24: My Individual Idea for a Title Sequence

Above is my individual idea for a title sequence, presented in Prezi.

17. Genre shortlist

3 possible genres so our final title sequence product:

Horror:
If our group were to create a title sequence for a horror movie it would be quite thrilling to do as our main aim would be o scare the audience. creativity in this department is never thin as our group could do many things to make this sequence scary and intriguing.

Thriller:
In thrillers the main aim is to build up tension for the audience, which would be quite interesting for our group to recreate. To effectively already have the audience's anxious for what is coming next would be fun to make, especially as it does not require a lot of acting.

Teen-slasher:
This can sometimes come under the category of horror but is more specific and has its own conventions. In teen slashers I feel that the conventions are very stereotypical and therefore not very hard to recreate. There would be many clichés involved and the audience can easily pick up on what should happen next, which is one downfall to making this type of sequence. However our group consists of just teenagers and may be our best genre if our group is acting in it.

22)

In order for me to improve I am realisng that I need to work and use my time more productively as I have potential but need to put in my maximum effort. In order for me to do this I need to be more organised and make sure that I post my blogs and not just leave them in drafts.

16. Director's comentary

Here is my camtasia video where I analyse the sound in the film Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Task 22: Blogging Health Check 1

My first blogging health check shows that I am at a grade B. I am happy with this grade as I feel it reflects the amount of time and effort I am putting into my blogs.

I will try to use more technology and add more detail to posts 5 and 9 in order to achieve a higher mark next time.

Task 21: Practical Remake Activity - Evaluation

For our practical remake activity, we decided to remake the title sequence of "Gone Girl". I thought that the planning, filming and editing went really well and we have ended up with a a final cut that is very similar to the actual title sequence.

Obviously, we were quite limited in terms of locations and actors, however we did our best with what we had. Our remake had to be shot around the Angel area, locations included Regents Canal and City Road.

Regents Canal

We managed to get the shots that we needed and tried our best to match the camera angles in the actual title sequence although at some points we did need to improvise. For example, we could not get the shot of the house through the trees, so we made do with an alternative: 

Our remake shot

The original shot

I do not particularly like our remake of this shot when the two are compared as they are not very similar at all. Our shot is at too low of an angle and the building is much closer. If I could do this again, I would bring references of the shots we need to remake so they can be more accurate. A slightly more accurate shot is one of two buildings:

Our remake shot

The original shot

I like our remake of this shot as it is very close to the original. I would say that the only difference is in terms of lighting which is more dim in the original. We could have changed this in editing (Adobe After Effects) but we did not. This is something that we could keep in mind for when we make our next title sequence. Apart from the lighting, I think that our editing went very well, despite it taking a very long time. We became quite confident with using Adobe Premier Pro and Adobe After Effects. Using these programs, we cut our footage together, added audio and the titles. Example:

 Our edit

Original edit

Overall, I believe that our remake of Gone Girl was successful. Although we could not be completely accurate with certain shots and locations, the tone of the original title sequence was achieved in our remake in my opinion. If I could do this again, I would pay more attention to the accuracy of the shots, and aim for better locations so it could be even more visually interesting.

Task 22: Blogging Health Check 1

Blogging health check 

Our teachers graded our blogs and gave us some feedback on how we could improve. I was told to keep up to date more, as i fell behind. And also to use different types of media to present my ideas. I also set up a smart target, that i have to achieve before the next blogging health check. 

15. Sound in Film

Here is my presentation on how important sound is in films.

Task 21: Practical Remake Activity- Evaluation

Evaluation

I had to remake the opening sequence to Gone Girl. I thought the final product looked well put together, and resembled the tone of the film well. My overall production skills improved greatly since the prelim task. The editing took a lot of work, but we managed to portray the editing of the original. The match cut look seamless, and in my opinion was the best part of our video. Our jump cuts looked professional, and the timing was well planned out. 

The locations didn't match the ones of the original, because it was hard to find remote places in central London. I had to make the most of the surroundings, and the limited time to plan. I had to use varies weird camera angles to try and give a sense of reclusively, like it was presented in Gone Girl. Some of the shots were impossible to find  (inside of the shed, rock shot, etc.), so we had to improvise and substitute with similar shots. We were limited on space on some shots, and ended up having to make the shots closer then in the original. But the rough cut ended up having a good flow to it, and i was satisfied with it.   

In the end, we managed to achieve some accurate shots and find some good locations. I particularly adore the clock shot. 

We struggled slightly in After Effects. Our footage ended up being too bright, and it was hard to filter it, because it seemed to always ended up being too dark, in the wrong places. We filtered some of the brightest shots and left the rest be, as we thought the rawness looked more authentic then having overly edited footage. However, the titles that we made using After effects turned out very close to the original.

(The original) 

  (Remake)

The actual acting was questionable, but our actors resembled the image of the original characters. The voice over, sounded a bit robotic due to the fact that we had to use a voice of a teenage girl, instead of a growth man.  We had to edit the voice to sound deeper, and more masculine. It ended up working well with the footage we used as they were synchronized and conveyed similar tones.  

Overall the finished product looked good and created the similar, mysterious atmosphere like the original. I think this was successful remake. However if i was to re-film this, i would pick better locations, and focus more on the lighting and the brightness of the footage.

14. Genre conventions in horror films

Horror Conventions from RhiannaEugene

The cut off information:
Slide 1: Teenage horror movies might be set in a high school to make it more relevant to the audience 

21)

Task 20: Practical Remake activity- editing and final cut

Editing: Gone Girl

The editing process took a lot of time and lunch times. Whilst editing this project, I had to learn how to use After Effects. Adobe After Effects was used to add the titles, darken some of the footage, and to alter the audio. The rough cut was done in Adobe Premier Pro. We used the original music from the opening; 'What Have We Done To Each Other?' by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross. This opening had a lot of jump cuts and match cuts, and the shots were mainly low angle. 

We also kept active on our twitter account (@Candigroup8) throughout the editing process. Providing some extra media content,  and proof of editing. 

So proud of this match cut 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/QdnsWvamAr

— AS Set2 Media Group8 (@Candigroup8) October 19, 2015

Editing 🎥✂️ pic.twitter.com/pUH7999BCW

— AS Set2 Media Group8 (@Candigroup8) October 20, 2015

Our finished product.  

Task 20: Practical Remake Activity - Editing and Final Cut

When editing our practical remake of Gone Girl, we had to use Adobe Premier Pro to edit all of our footage together, and add audio (the voice over and the music). In the image on the right and the image below, you can see evidence of us doing this.










To add the titles themselves, we had to learn how to use Adobe After Affects. This program enabled us to add the credits which are essential to title sequences.

During the editing process, we updated our Twitter account (@Candigroup8).

Here is our final cut which we have uploaded on to YouTube:

Task 19: Practical Remake Activity - Evidence Of Filming

Filming: Gone Girl

For this remake we had to go outside the college to achieve the shots, and locations we wanted. We mainly filmed on the streets around Angel, but we also did go down to a nearby canal to get important the wide shot, that establishes the atmosphere. Since some of the locations took a while to get to, and we wanted to get the setting as close to the original as London would allow, we had to do extra filming outside class times.

Here you can see some pictures from our twitter (@candigroup8) showing our group hard at work, trying to get the right shot. We filmed on cameras provided by the school, and used a tripod to ensure all our footage would look stable.