Audience feedback

Here is some feedback that we have had from our audience:

grreesbutt- over all i think there is a good use of camera shots and movement e.g. long shots medium shots tacking and canted angle shots. The things that could be improved could be that when the evil guy slits Matt's throat he should have done it with the sharp edge of the knife instead of the blunt side to give a better sense of verisimilitude (authenticity).

Chris olney- I really liked this film, i felt that the music went well with the scene and also the flickering lights was also really good. If there was one thing that you could improve on would be by using more fake blood as there was only a little bit but other than that, AWESOME!!

Tony- really liked the film, i liked the high angle which shows that the character is vulnerable also it seems like he is being watched by someone.

Tom- nice lads i like it.

Jamie- pretty good, i enjoyed the scene when the lights are flickering and the killer is slowly moving towards Shaun. I thought that the killing scene was good but maybe you should of used a fake knife so that you would be to use the right side of the knife, but still looks good.

Max- good film, not to sure about the end where the killer gently drops Shaun on the film also using the wrong side of the knife, but other than that i think you used good camera shots and movements throughout the film. The music also worked well i thought.

We feel that we could improve a couple of things such as the knifing scene. This was a hard scene to act out as we had to use a real knife to make it look authentic and appeal to the audience. The audience seemed to enjoy the music that we used. They also thought the camera shots were good and made the film better.

The final piece!!!

This is our final piece for our film:

Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Preliminary conversation task

In this quick conversation scene we tried out different types of shots. We have included over the shoulder shots when me ans Matt are having the conversation. It then changes to an establishing shot of the conversation, this shows the audience the location and the surroundings. We have then used a close up of the phone showing the audience what is happening and who is calling. We have then edited together Matt walking through the door. We felt that it was a smooth transaction. Then finally we used a long shot of Matt walking down the stairs, this shows the audience where he is going. We tried different techniques during our preliminary task such as the black and white setting, we also added some sound to it but for some reason it hasn't been able to work on YouTube.

Detainment (coursework)






Detainment has got some comparisons with our preliminary task. First of all we have used continuity editing when Matt walks through the door, this is very similar to the preliminary task when he leave the scene. We have then included an over the shoulder when Ben the teacher walks in. This shows the conversation between the two characters. This shot was also included in the first task we produced. We have then used a close up of the handle when Matt tries to escape from the room this is also like when Matt answers his phone in the preliminary task. We have then used amplified sound of the overhead board being lifted; this adds a good effect to the scene. Also we have used non-diegetic sound during the scene to add tension to the film. Finally there is a mid shot of Matt just before he attacks the board; this is a good shot because it shows his emotion.

Overall we are proud as a group by how we have improved from our first task to now. Looking at the shots and editing we have used in the final task it has a lot better continuity compared to the first task.

Here are some of the comparisons between the two films:

close up

Over the shoulder shot

Continuity editing

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

We have used different technologies and media products to help us produce this film.

We have used:

School and Home computers - To edit and upload the film, also updating new features onto our blogs

School supplied camera and tape - We used the tape and camera to record our opening 2 minutes of the film.

Tripod - We relied on the tripod to produce steady shots which improved the quality of the footage.

Adobe - We used Adobe Premiere 8 to edit and construct our opening two minutes.

kitchen knife - We used a kitchen knife which the school provided for us for our last scene.

school premises - We have used the school premises to produce our film. We used one of the old science blocks to make it.

How did you attract/address your audience?

Who would be the audience for your media product?

From research of other films and our questionnaires that we have produced we have been able to find out who we are going to target our film at. I have used the business.pearlanddean.com/filmplanner website to get an idea on what ages other films target audience is. For example here are a couple of films that are the same genre as ours, they are also films that we have researched throughout this year. Firstly there is "Halloween" which is focusing on the ages between 15-24. A statistic that they have used is that 59% is male and 41% female are most likely to be interested in the film. Another Film is "The unborn" which focuses on the audience that is aged between 15-24. Once again this is the same statistic as "Halloween" which is what it tends to be with most of the films that are within this genre.

From questionnaires we found out that people who enjoy horror films are aged between 15 and 40. The older audience tend to prefer comedy's because they are light hearted and easy to watch. Also the younger audience are going to tend to go and watch the film at the cinema whereas the older audience may not. We have targeted our film at the ages of 15-24 because this is what other films have done and they have enjoyed success. We have put the age certificate at 15 because then we can target a wider audience, this means we can get a bigger box office.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

A media institution that might distribute our film would be rogue pictures. The reason why we feel they would be the best institution to distribute our film would be because they have distributed a lot of other horror films such as all of the saw films, Shaun of the dead, the strangers, the last house on the left and recently the unborn. Their main genre that they operate in is horror which is suitable for us. They are a well known company within the media institution. Rogue are a well known brand which will also help us when we need to advertise the film to our audience. Also our film is a low budget film so rogue would be able to fund the film without getting any other main production company's to help with finance. Rogue can also create conditions for making the movie, hiring the personnel such as cast, directors and others and finally they can distribute the film out to their target audience.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In our film we only have two main characters Shaun McGee and the killer. Shaun is a normal character that doesn't have much influence in whole film only the opening scene because this scene sets up the rest of the film. The killer has a much bigger role in the film as he or she will be playing throughout the entire film. An example of our killer is the killers from the film "the strangers". This is because they keep their identity hidden throughout the film which is also what happens with our film. It was hard to relate the killer to anyone because you don't find much out about him because he tries to keep a low profile. The strangers keep a low profile by wearing masks which hides their identity. Our killer hides his identity by wearing a science cloak and a hoodie which cover most of his face, he also attacks when it is dark which means his suspects never get to see his face or any of his features.

The killer also represents the killer from scream, they both try to keep their identity hidden. Also people don't really know anything about him which is what we have tried to emulate when producing our film and creating the character. The killer is shown to make the audience scared and worried. "The strangers", "Scream" and our own film "Detainment" all have a lot in common when it comes to the killer. The similarities between all three films are that all the killers faces are hidden. In scream he is wearing a mask, in the strangers they are also wearing a mask and in detainment he is wearing a hood that covers most of his face.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? (i.e. of film openings)

Title of the film: We decided to call our film "detainment". We felt that this was a good name for our film because it fits in well with the story line of the film. The story line is to do with a character being detained in a room when the killer attacks him or her.

Setting/location: The location that we decided to use was on school grounds. The room is in an old science block. We chose this location because we felt that it is a scary/ spooky location. The that we chose to film was on a cloudy rainy day which set the scene for something bad to happen.

Costumes and props: Shaun who is the main character is wearing normal clothes just like an ordinary teenager would wear( jeans, T-shirt and a coat). The teacher is wearing a lab coat because he is a science teacher, he is wearing smarter clothes compared to Shaun this is to show the difference in authority between the two characters. Finally the killer is wearing black trousers, hoodie and a lab coat. We decided to have the killers hood up so that he can hide his identity from his victims.

Camerawork and editing: We decided to use basic shots like over the shoulder shot when Shaun is having a conversation with his teacher, also used is a high angle looking down on Shaun which shows that he is inferior. long shots, mid shots and close ups have been used during the killing scene. We tried lots of different shots so that we could see which one would be the most suitable for our film. With editing we made sure that there is continuity throughout the film. When it is getting closer to the killing scene we decided to use short quick cuts between different angles to show that the tension is building and also to make the audience feel UN easy and wanting to see what happens.

Title font and style: The font that we decided to use for our title is a basic font that stands out to attract the audience. The font colour we chose was red because it contrast blood.

Story and how the opening scene sets it up: The story is like an other horror, there is a killer who goes around killing Innocent people and it is left up to someone who's best friend had been killed by the the killer. The opening scene sets up the rest of the scene perfectly because there is already a death which will make the audience want to carry on watching to see what happens. Also it shows the main character who will be featuring a lot during the film "the killer".

Genre and how the opening scene suggests it: The genre that the group has chosen is horror, we felt that this would probably be the easiest genre to attempt compared to comedy's, action and adventure films. You can tell that our film is a horror from the opening scene because of the non diegetic sound that we have chosen. There is also flashing lights, quick cuts between the shots.

How the characters are introduced: Shaun is introduced as a normal teenager. He is impatient because he does not like waiting round. The teacher is shown to be a young new teacher that is really learning. The killer is shown to not have any emotions.

Special effects: We didn't really use any special effects. We amplified the sound of the board projector being lifted up. We also used a fade when the killer is walking up behind the victim.

Editing

We have now added the Non Diegetic sound the film and it is starting to look and sound like a real film. We have also added the cast, crew and production company's name onto the film so we are nearly finished. We just need to do a few more tweaks before it is finally completed.

Detainment Font Title

We have been looking at different types of font hat we could use for our title. This will add a good effect to the opening scene because the audience will be able to tell that it is a horror and it will make them scared and nervous. We like this type of font, we found it on google images. hopefully we will be able to get something that is similar to this. The horror font is what we are hoping to find.

Editing Update

As we have now finished filming our film, we have started editing and cutting out parts of the film. We are having some problems with the editing because we are finding it hard to cut the film down from three minutes to the recommended two minutes. With the film already at three minutes we still have not included the production company's name, cast and crew and any other related things that we may need. We are planning on editing the middle section of the the film because it is the same shot for nearly a minute. The the scene is also not that exciting as it is just setting the scene to the film. We think that we will be able to cut this shot down to around 30 seconds. Then we will try and cut down any shots that we feel are not needed.

Update

Today we filmed the rest of the film and it went really well. We found that every scene went to plan except for the knifing scene which we had to perform twice because the first run didn't go as well as we thought it should have. It took us around two hours to film the remainder of the film and then next week we are going to do all the editing to make it look perfect. The only problem that we may have with our film is that it may not be the two minutes that is needed. We can make the film longer by adding in the cast and crew names, also the production company which is Rogue Pictures. We still need to find some sound effects for certain parts of the film e.g. foot steps, door banging and just general scary effects to put the audience on the edge of their seat.

Knifing technique

This the technique that we are going to try and emulate.

Time managment

We are planning on filming the rest of out film on thursday. We have filmed about half of it so far so it won't take us long to finish the rest of the film. We have already edited the begining of the film and it looks good so far.

Music

We have been searching music in freeplay music and we have found some good tracks that will fit in well with our film. We have been looking for a track that gives a mysterious edgy feel to it. Also the tempo needs to be quick and jumpy so that it makes the audience scared and worried. We think that the music is a vital part of the film because it creates an edge to the film.

These are a couple of tracks we think may be suitable for our film:

http://freeplaymusic.com/search/advanced_search_ext.php

http://freeplaymusic.com/search/advanced_search_ext.php

http://freeplaymusic.com/search/advanced_search_ext.php

props

As a group we have done some research on which weapon would suit our film the best. We found that a knife is the most popular in a horror film. We watched a couple of videos on how to use the knife and make it look as real as possible. We have attched a suringe with a tube so that we can use fake blood. This will make it seem more realistic.

Here are some photos of what our prop will look like in the actual scene:

Final script

Teacher - Do the work you didn't in period three, im going to photo copy this.

Shaun - F*** this im going

Music starts to create tension

Shaun - Leave me alone, F*** off, just leave me alone

Music starts again as the killer re-enters the scene

Shaun - ahhhhhhhhhh

Update

We are planning on filming after school because when we try and film during school there always seems to be a class in there. This has damaged our filming time which means we don't have long left to film.

Up Date On Progress

Yesterday we did a rehearsal of our opening scene. This was so that we could see how everything was going to work and all the props and things we needed to include. It helped us with deciding which camera angles and movements we wanted to use in different parts of the film. We think that it all went well as we were able to film most of the scene without many problems. We are are going to edit it and make sure everything looks perfect, we will then start to film our actual film.

Questionnaire findings

After receiving all our research from our questionnaire we have found out that male audiences tend to enjoy horrors, comedy and action films whereas females prefer horror, comedy, romantic comedy's and chick flick films. Most of the audience said that the opening scene of the film is very important to them because they will be able to get feel of whether the film is going to be good and whether they should carry on watching it. A selection of peoples favourite films were Halloween 1 and 2, American pies, Anchorman, Dark knight and Mean girls. It varied between whether people wanted to go to the cinema or watch it on a rental DVD. This was because some preferred being at home and being able to pause and watch the film in there own time. People who preferred to go the cinema wanted that experience with the surround sound system, big screen and great graphics.

Questionnaire

Age? ............

Gender? ...............

Favourite genre? ....................

Favourite film? .........................

Is the opening scene of the film the most important part of the film? (yes or no) ................

Why? ..................................................................................................................................................

Cinema or Rental DVDs? .....................................

What do you like most about your favourite genre? why? ....................................................
................................................................................................................

Mark so far

There is proficient research into similar products and a potential target audience.
There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
There is proficient work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
There is a good level of care in the presentation of the research and planning.
Time management is good.

Overall - 13/20 Level 3

Targets:
More work needed on audience profile. Compile questionnaires to poll the interest of your target audience. Look at the Pearl and Dean website for help with audience profiling (see Therfield Media blog for link).
Ensure your video diary is kept up-to-date. Every lesson should be accounted for on this blog - make sure you are constantly updating what you have done.

Production Company

We have decided to use Rogue Pictures for our production because they are the main production for creating horror films. They have created films like The last house on the left, Shaun of the dead, Seed of chucky, The Strangers and White Noise: The light.

Most of the films that they have produced our low budget. They have ranged between $1,000,000 and $45,000,000.

We have decided to make a draft poster that could possibly be our final version for the film. The poster is very effective as we have an extreme close up of someones eye. The eye has cuts and bruises around it which show pain and distress. The picture is bold and takes up the whole of the cover. We have decided to do this so that it will draw in the audience. The will make the audience feel like it is looking at them and wanting help.

On the poster we have the up the top the acting credits in white writing, just underneath that is our production company then below is the name of the film, 'Detainment' in big red capital letter so it stands out and people know what the film is called. At the bottom of the page we have the film release date so that all our target audience will be aware of when the film is coming out. finally at the bottom of the page we have included the production team and the age certificate.

Possible scripts

Shaun walking to his detention

Shaun - I got a detention now so I'll be out later.

Friend on phone - Alright mate. see ya

Shaun enters the room

Shaun - Hi Sir

Mr Oswick - Sit down Shaun

Silence

Mr Oswick - I've just got to go to the staff room to pick something up

Shaun - Alright

Door closes as Oswick walks out, Shaun sits waiting, but then decides to get up and try and leave.

Shaun - The damn doors locked

Shaun pulls harder and harder try to open it, the lights flicker and go out but then come back on. He turns around as there is a sound from behind him, there's a message on the board.

Shaun - oh s***

He tries harder to get out. Amplified sound of foot steps coming up behind him. loud screaming of agony.

Audience profiling

I have used the pearl and dean website to get ideas on how other film profiled there audience. This will help us and show us how we can present our film to our target audience.

The Unborn - audience profiling















Halloween - Audience profiling

Sound/Music

We have reseached many film theme tunes to try and get some idea on how they create tension and make the scene interesting. We felt that as we were creating a horror film that sound would be the most important elemnt when making producing the film.

Here are a couple of films that are within our genre and have some connection with our own film.

Halloween have used this very famous theme song, they have used it throughout their film during different stages. This sound track has also been used in many different horror films.



This what the grudge have used as their theme song. The track is high pitched and builds tension which makes the audience anxious and worried.

Sound/Music

We are trying to found out what type of sound or music we need to in our film. We were thinking that we will use non diegetic sound for the opening of the film. As a group we feel that the music will be the most important aspect of creating a good movie. If the music isn't eerie and spin chilling the whole scene will lose its effect of being a horror film. In all the great horrors films that have been made it is the sound that brings everything together to make it such an amazing film. The sound creates tension and nerves within the audience which keeps them watching and also not wanting to watch at the same time. The music/sound that we plan to use will start off calm and normal but as things start to turn for the worst, the music will because jumpy and quick. This is because the shots will be moving quickly to make the audience unsettled. We are either thinking of creating a track ourselves with our friends studio that he has or we may search the Internet to try and find something that we like.

Story Board

We like this shot because it adds mystery to the clip because the audience will be unaware of who is in this clip.

We have decided to place the camera in a hedge because it will make the audience feel that somebody is watching the main character. It will create uncertainty

We liked this shot because of the sign on the door. This will make the viewers think that something is going to happen.

This shot is just of the character sitting down in the class room waiting.

The clip is of the teacher explaining something to the pupil. This is just to show who else is involved in the scene

The shot is of the pupil looking up towards the clock waiting for the time to pass by. In the real film we will have a close up of the clock so the audience can see what exactly he is focusing on.

This shot is of the teacher leaving the room. This will make the audience think that something is going to happen.

The shot of the door closed. SHowing that there is noone exept Shaun in the room

Shaun trying to get out of the door and go home early.

A close up of Shaun trying to get of the door. Only for him to find that it is locked. He frantically trys to get out.

The lights go out to make the audience worried and the tension starts to build.

Shaun turns around as the lights come back on only to find that someone has left him a message with blood. He starts to worry even more.

We have gone for a high angle so that the audience can see everything happening. Also it is a good angle to show the killer coming up behind Shaun.

final location

We looked at a lot of different locations around the school and as a group we have decided that this location will be the most suitable for our film. This room adds an eerie and spooky look to it as it is one of the older buildings in the school.

This our final location that we have chosen. We have chosen this because we think it will add a spooky effect also it has the right props that we need to film our film. We also liked this location because it is one of the buildings on the school site. The interior is dated as you can see in the photos above. The room is a science laboratory so it has lots of chemicals and equipment with lots of other randoms things which makes the whole setting seem a bit strange.

costumes

Shaun McGee (Matt davision) will be wearing normal clothes so show that the film is modern and up to date. He will be wearing a hoodie/jacket, jeans and trainers.

The killer will be wearing dark old clothes to show that he maybe can't afford the latest fashionable clothes. He will wear a big black jacket with a hood to cover his face. He'll be wearing old ragged jeans and old trainers. So he will be completely the opposite to the victim Shaun McGee.

Mr Oswick will be wearing smarter clothes compared to Shaun and the killer. He will be wearing shirt and tie maybe a blazer, trousers and smart shoes.

Reasons for choosing the cast

Shaun Mcgee – Shaun is being played by Matt Davison. Shaun is 16 years old and lives local to the school in a rough area. Living in rough area and not having a great upbringing and is usually singled out by others because of this. He is regularly finding himself in trouble at school either fighting or being caught smoking.


Killer – The killer is being played by Chris Marskell. The killer has no relation with shaun McGee. This is so that it will add mystery to the film and it will enable the film to carry on and have some type story to it.

Ben Horley (Teacher) – Ben will be playing this role as he looks the oldest out of our group. He will be wearing black trousers, shirt with a laboratory coat over the top to show that he is a science teacher. The reason why Shaun is in his room is because Ben has made him come back after school because he failed to hand his coursework in on time and therefore he has to do it after school.

Shot List

1. Tracking shot of Shaun walking towards the class room

2. Medium shot of him walking to his chair and of him sitting down

3. A close up of Shaun looking at the clock

4. Medium shot of the teacher telling Shaun that he has to leave

5. Tracking shot of him walking towards the door trying to get out

6. Close up of the handle with him frantically trying to get out

7. Low angle of him looking up towards the lights as they start to flicker before suddenly going out

8. Hand held camera of him then looking around panicking

9. Camera then arcs round as the lights then turn back on

10. Zoom towards the board where a message is written

11. Close up of his face to show the emotion

12. Hand held camera again of him trying to get out

13. Medium shot of Shaun with the killer coming up behind him

14. Zoom of the knife going towards his throat

15. Establishing shot of detainment

The Cast

Shaun McGee - Matt Davison


Killer - Chris Marskell


Mr Oswick - Mr Oswick


Director - Dan Zammit Lewis


Producer - Ben Horley


Music created by Jamie Gamache

Detainment plot

Shaun McGee is a 17 yr old boy who has been held back for detention after school with Mr Oswick. Shaun walks through the door ands sits down disinterested and annoyed. There is and awkward silence before Mr Oswick breaks the silence when saying he’s got to go to the staff room to collect something. He walks out the door. Shaun looks up as the clock and thinks I better get home before my mum finds out. So he walks up to the door and tries to get out only finding that it is locked. He doesn’t worry. He goes to turn back and the lights flicker and then go out. He starts to panic but then the lights come back on and he turns around only to see that there is a message left for him in blood on the board. He turns to the door yanking on the handle, the lights flicker again. The killer slowly walks up behind him before slitting his throat. Shaun hits the floor with a thud. Then in bold the name of the film comes up “DETAINMENT".

key Information

We have decided that we are going to film our film in school, the reason why we are doing this because it is a prime location and it will be a lot easier to film inside school rather than filming outside in a different location. the name we have decided to use for our film is "Detainment". we are going to have 3 actors, the teacher, student and the killer. We are going to have to make sure that we work hard on creating a good sound because that will make the tension high and the audience anxious.

Settings and location

Here are a couple of photos that we have taken of around the school, these could be possible locations for us when we start filming. We liked these locations because they will add a scary effect to the scene.


We are going to locate our film in the school; the scene will be set in a class room that preferable has two doors so that we can include our killer in it. We will be filming after school so that the school will be empty and very quiet. This will add tension to the scene. We are going to have a teacher, pupil and of course the killer. The settings will be light at the beginning of the scene but then darkens as the clip goes on. The lights will start to flicker and then go out.
We have decided to use this location because it is a perfect setting for someone who has got a detention and it will also give a scary effect, which means it’s perfect for a horror film.

Pictures of possible locations

This is a possible location for our film, we liked this because it had a booming echo. They also offer a scary effect which is perfect for us as we are creating a horror film.

180 degree rule

The 180 degree rule is a renowned method in the film making industry. states that two characters (or other elements) in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other. If the camera passes over the imaginary axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing the line. The new shot, from the opposite side, is known as a reverse angle.

Ratings

The same criteria is used to classify '12' and '12a'. These catogories are awarded where the material is suitable, in general, only for those aged 12 and over. When the film is classified it shows that it may upset and distress children under 12 or there parents may believe it is unsutiable for them.

The '12a' category is specific to cinema films and gives the parent or gaurdians the ability to decide if they believe their child is mature enough to watch the film and understand its contents.

Preliminary Task

This was our first task that we were asked to do. We had to film a conversation between two of us. We feel that the task went well because we were able to use the cameras and try out different camera angles and shots. We also used Adobe Premier Elements which meant we got to try out all the editing techniques which will help will us when we have to film our proper film.

Camera shots, angles and movement

Shots

An extreme long shot contains a large amount of landscape. It is often used at the beginning of a scene or a film to establish general location (setting). This is also known as an establishing shot.

A long shot contains landscape but gives the viewer a more specific idea of setting. A long shot may show the viewers the building where the action will take place.

A full shot contains a complete view of the characters. From this shot, viewers can take in the costumes of characters and may also help to demonstrate the relationships between characters.

A mid shot contains the characters or a character from the waist up. From this shot, viewers can see the characters' faces more clearly as well as their interaction with other characters. This is also known as a social shot.

A close-up contains just one character's face. This enables viewers to understand the actor's emotions and also allows them to feel empathy for the character.

An extreme close-up contains one part of a character's face or other object. This technique is quite common in horror films, particularly the example above. This type of shot creates an intense mood and provides interaction between the audience and the viewer.

Angles

A bird's eye angle is an angle that looks directly down upon a scene. This angle is often used as an establishing angle, along with an extreme long shot, to establish setting.

A high angle is a camera angle that looks down upon a subject. A character shot with a high angle will look vulnerable or small. These angles are often used to demonstrate to the audience a perspective of a particular character.

An eye-level angle puts the audience on an equal footing with the characters. This is the most commonly used angle in most films as it allows the viewers to feel comfortable with the characters.

A low angle is a camera angle that looks up at a character. This is the opposite of a high angle and makes a character look more powerful. This can make the audience feel vulnerable and small by looking up at the character.

Movement

A crane shot is often used by composers of films to signify the end of a film or scene. The effect is achieved by the camera being put on a crane that can move upwards

A tracking shot and a dolly shot have the same effect. A tracking shot moves on tracks and a dolly shot is mounted on a trolley to achieve the effect in the example above. This camera movement is used in a number of ways but is most commonly used to explore a room such as a restaurant. By using a tracking shot or a dolly shot the composer of a film gives the viewer a detailed tour of a situation. It can also be used to follow a character.

Panning is used to give the viewer a panoramic view of a set or setting. This can be used to establish a scene