Diary of Filming

15th Nov

We started the production planning to conceptualise the different ideas which would make a successful thriller, creating a visual mindmap to explore and expand the ideas. We decided to deviate away from the usual ideas involving stalkers/weapons/gore because we thought it would look very low budget, unprofessional and would not be engaging to watch. We used notes written on other thriller openings to identify codes and conventions of a thriller so that we could include them in ours.

16th Nov

We created questionnaires to be given to the general public, with questions involving what people think make a successful thriller, so that these things could be incorporated into our own thriller opening. We used thirty questionnaires with twenty questions and divided them equally among the group to get them filled in.

18^th Nov

We analysed the information collected in the questionnaires and collated the results of each question into graphs, adding an evaluation of the results for each separate question. This showed that the most popular thriller genre was a psychological thriller, therefore we decided to go with the psychological thriller idea we had previously come up with.

22nd Nov

The treatment and synopsis was started, based on the idea which we had decided on.

24th Nov

The treatment and synopsis were completed, and we updated our blogs. The certificate was also decided and justified.

25th Nov

Based on the treatment a shooting script for the thriller opening was created, which entailed each shot which would be captured being noted down in detail.

30th Nov

The shooting script was completed and, based on it, we started the story boards, sharing out the drawing of them equally.

2nd Dec

The story boards were finished and we gave information about the setting (where the thriller was being filmed) on location sheets so that we could go out and begin filming.

 

3rd Dec

We hired out a camera and were ready to start filming at our location, but the actor we employed to star in the thriller let us down and didn’t show up. On this short notice we had to go and begin filming some of the shots which did not involve an actor e.g. the pans of the room etc.

6th - 9th Dec

In class we updated our blogs and made sure that everything necessary was up to date. We moreover employed a new actor and went out to film more shots with him.

10th - 15th Dec

We updated our blogs in class time and logged the shots which we had filmed on the logging sheets provided. On the 15^th we had to film without Katie, since she went on holiday, but unfortunately the camera didn’t work so we couldn’t film any more shots.

16th Dec

In class we logged more shots which we had then filmed and went to record more without Katie. The

battery pack didn't work properly but still all the shots were filmed and the recording was completed.

17th Dec

We started digitising the footage on Adobe Premiere Pro, turning the most successful takes of the scenes into clips which would be made into the thriller opening.

4th Jan

We continued digitising the rest of the recordings on the tape and converted the most successful takes into clips on premiere pro.

 

6th Jan

We finished digitising and saving clips on premiere pro, ready to be made into the thriller opening.

7th Jan

We began editing clips together to make a rough cut.

10th Jan

We continued editing, to make a more precise and higher quality cut of the thriller opening. The tape got lost but, fortunately, we had all the footage digitised which was needed to put into the two minute thriller opening.

11th Jan

We found the tape and continued editing while also finishing logging the recordings on the tape.

13th Jan

We started creating titles and credits for the film opening in fonts which correspond to the fonts shown in the questionnaire and which the people asked decided would be most representative of a thriller. We also started to create an audience feedback questionnaire so that people can rate our thriller opening after watching it.

14th Jan

We searched for royalty free music which would be appropriate for our thriller on youtube and various copyright free sites. I started the edit decision lists.

17th Jan

We found a music track which could be used for our thriller on youtube and converted it into an mp3 file which we could use on our opening. We then edited the sound to make it more effective, making the slamming of the door and sounds of running up the stairs louder. I completed the edit decision lists.

18th Jan

We completed our editing, making sure that the music went well with the thriller and perfecting it since we had to repeat the track more than once to make it fit our thriller. When we were happy with the music we continued editing the film to a high quality. We also began work on our evaluations individually.

20th Jan

We printed out 20 audience feedback questionnaires and distributed them evenly between us to give to people on asking them to watch our film. We continued work on our evaluations in class and I completed section 12 of my blog at home.

21st Jan

We edited our film to make it shorter, since it was almost three minutes long. To do this we cut some of the pans and removed the scene of the character walking into the bathroom, though, fortunately, a viewer cannot tell there was another clip there originally. We also uploaded our films onto youtube to get more feedback from other people.

24th Jan

We collected the results of our audience feedback questionnaires together and collated the results into tally charts between us to put into graphs. We moreover carried on with what we were going to do for our evaluations.  

25th Jan

We continued to put things on our blogs and work on our evaluations individually.

27th Jan

We edited our film opening to make it all wide screen and made sure that we were still happy with the music, editing and sound. I took a camera home to record two sections of my evaluation.

28th Jan

I digitised my recordings of my evaluation sections and saved them as avi files on my pen drive, as well as my prelim and thriller opening videos. As there was not enough memory on my pen drive, I could not fit the audio of my second evaluation section on, but I shall do that on Monday. At home, I used Prezi and PowerPoint to complete two other sections of my evaluation.

29th Jan

I used my editing program at home to edit the recording of my first evaluation section, incorporating into it parts of my thriller opening which I am discussing, and used Prezi to complete another section. I put all of my completed sections on my blog and freed up space on my USB to put my audio evaluation section on there on Monday.

1st Feb
Carried on working individually on our evaluations. I completed five of the seven sections.

3rd Frb
Completed all sections of my evaluation, each using a different media e.g. audio, video, slideshows.

Evaluation

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

This video tells why I have used in my thriller all of the codes and conventions I have, as well as everything else which could make it more successful (full justifications of my thriller are on section 12, my thriller analysis). It tells the things I have included in my thriller to both follow and deviate from codes and conventions of thrillers, and explains the things I have done to make my editing, camerawork and overall opening effective.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

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

Who would be the audience for your media product?

How did you attract/address your audience?

This video shows how I have taken into account the information given in my audience questionnaire from my target audience and incorporated it into my thriller opening, in order to make it more effective and untimately appeal to the audience. I have shown the clips in which I have incorporated aspects to make my thriller more successful, as identified by my target audience. At the end I have included graphs from my target audience feedback to determine if I have successfully included aspects of a thriller which the target audience think will make a successful film of the genre (all target audience questionnaires found on section 11).

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

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you think you have learnt in your progression to the final product?

Prelim

Preliminary Task

      This is my prelim task, which involved walking through a door with a brief conversation. We took into account the 180 degee rule in this, to make sure the dialogue is successful. We also repeated each shot a number of times to make sure that we could use the most effective one in our editing. We edited using Adobe Premiere Pro, though in the video it is very jumpy and the dialogue cuts in and out far too quickly.

      From this I have learnt how to edit using Premiere Pro, which includes adding titles, increasing volume and digitising recordings from a tape. In my next task using this program I will make sure my editing is much more successful so the dialogue, if there is any, will be more effective and so will the rest of the shots.

Section 12 - Film Analysis

Room To Let Analysis 





      Narrative Structure

-        The narrative structure is quite conventional, since the opening begins in a chronological fashion, with the past and histories of the characters being given in dialogue after the opening scene, which is also conventional because most details of characters in other thrillers analysed have been shown through dialogue. The whole story follows a linear narrative, which is conventional of thrillers and will keep the audience's attention, as well as making them feel everything that Victor feels because it is more personal, thus creating more suspense and anticipation about what is going to happen.
-        Our thriller follows the narrative theory of Tzvetan Todorov because the story starts in a state of equilibrium (he moves into a new house which should be familiar and secure) which is disrupted by the appearance of Tam Noganai in his house. The resolution - the character being taken to a mental asylum - creates a state of re-equilibrium because they are returning to a place of security and familiarity.
Sound

-        Music put over the opening scene to create a mood - the dark, low music creates an oppressive tone, which is appropriate for a psychological thriller because it suggests something is going to happen.

-        The sound of the door slamming and footsteps running up the stairs have been exaggerated by being made deeper and louder, because people in our audience questionnaire had said that they find the sound of footsteps to be effective at creating suspence.

Camera Work

-        In the first half, the camera is still and controlled, with shots that last for a prolonged period, which contrasts with the second half (after he has fallen asleep) because the shots are faster and less controlled as they follow the chase. This is effective in implying the contrast within the character, and therefore hinting at his unstable mind.

-        A wide range of different shot types, to make the film more interesting and to show certain details, for example the extreme close up of the watch shows how late it is. There are moreover a few particularly interesting and quite innovative shots, for example seeing the character come into the room reflected in the mirror before he is actually seen.
-        Framing is used effectively, in the dead trees in the first establishing shot and in the shot with the camera pointing up at the character from the table, framed by the make-up. This framing is effective because it makes the shots more aesthetically pleasing in both cases, and in the former it relates back to Silence of the Lambs because the opening of that started with the shot framed by dead trees as an establishing shot.

-        Pans and the actor wandering around the house, looking at things, shows he is as unfamiliar to his surroundings as the viewer is.
Mise-En-Scene

-        A house - because that was identified as the best place for a thriller in our audience questionnaire - in the middle of a normal-looking street to better follow the convention of transformed city (where extraordinary things can happen in an ordinary place) and filled with normal-looking things. This can play on the audience's feeling of security, because a home is a place of comfort and safety, and so can make them feel insecure and so are in anticipation of what will happen next.
-        Dark lighting is used to set a dull, oppressive tone which is appropriate for a thriller because, as shown in our audience questionnaire, people think that dark lighting is most representative and effective.
Editing

-        Fades out as he is going down the stairs and fades in when he is in the chair, showing a difference in time and place. It also fades out between looking at the watch and him asleep in the chair, again showing a change in time.
-        Music gets louder and more dramatic as he walks in the door, which is effective because it implies something drastic will happen in the house, making the audience feel anticipation of what will happen next.
Graphics

-        The font used was the one which was identified in our questionnaire as being most effective to represent a thriller, and the credits not being put in a set place but being moved seemingly randomly can imply the scattered mind and so psychotic tendencies of the character. White has been used so that it stands out boldly against the film in the background, which was an identified feature of graphics and titles used in other thrillers.
Codes and Conventions

-        Tension and suspense keeps the audience guessing, with the plot full of twists and unexpected moments.

-        Scenes to make the viewer jump, and scenes with violence and a murder later in the film (as long as it remains within a 15 certificate).

-        Follows C.K. Chesterton's theory of transformed city because it is an ordinary urban house and ordinary street which are going to undergo extraordinary circumstances.

-        Pascal Bonitzer’s theory of partial vision is used, with the darkness used to hide the person running in the opening, so the character only sees as much as the viewer does. This creates questions which will be answered as the plot unfolds. Also, partial vision is used in that in the opening nothing much is said at all about the protagonist, so the viewer is waiting for the characters to disclose any details about themselves.

-        Follows W. H. Matthews’ maze-type plot, both metaphorical with many twists and turns in the plot, and in the literal sense that the house seems like a maze to him, shown from him looking around as though he does not recognise the surroundings.

-        Follows Northrop Frye’s theory of heroic romance since an ordinary person is found in extraordinary circumstances, with an urban environment as a main setting for the plot about to unfold.

-        John Cawelti’s theory of the exotic comes into play with the use of the protagonist wandering around because, as explained in mazes and labyrinths, it is clear that his surroundings are unfamiliar to him and therefore he does not belong there.
-        Lars Ole Saurberg's theory of concealment and protraction is used because details of the characters are hidden from the viewer until the character shows them. Moreover, concealment is used to hide whoever the shadow is in the opening and protraction is used in delaying the suspected outcome of finding out who is in the room because the titles stop the viewer from seeing straight away.
-        Noel Carroll's idea of the question-answer model is used in this opening because the darkness of the lighting plays on the blind spots and unapparant details which will cause the audience to ask questions which will be discovered as the story unfolds, for example who is the shadow?

Section 11 - Audience Feedback

      This is the questionnaire given to people when asked to watch our finished product. It was given to people in our target audience (15-24 year olds) because they are statistically most likely to watch our thriller and therefore are most important to get feedback from. We have used a range of questions (open and closed) to get quantitative data which is easy to analyse and qualitative data so we get detailed opinions from people.

Conclusion: 45% of people (9/20 asked) said that the star rating of our thriller would be 4 stars. This means that our opening has been quite successful and attractive to our target audience because it is a high rating.

Conclusion: Most people rated the entertainment of our thriller quite highly, therefore it can be concluded that we have included aspects which keep the audience interested in our thriller and therefore it is successful.

Conclusion: Most people rated the technical quality of our opening with four stars, showing that we have recorded high quality shots successfully and edited them together well because it is a high rating.

 

Conclusion: Most people rated the quality of our sound at four stars, showing that it is of high quality because it is a high rating.

Conclusion: Most people rated the quality highly, with 80% of people asked rating our thriller at 4 and 5 stars. This shows that our thriller is high quality overall.

Conclusion: 50% of people rated our continuity high (at four or five stars), showing that it for the most part is successful and any mistakes in continuity are not very noticable.

Conclusion: Most people compared our thriller to Silence of the Lambs, which is likewise a psychological thriller and therefore is easily comparable to Room to Let. Other psychological thrillers it has been compared to are Butterfly Effect and Seven, so our thriller therefore contains the necessary codes and conventions to make it a psychological thriller.

Conclusion: Most people thought the best part of our thriller was the chase scene, which shows that viewers most like action in thrillers.

Conclusion: Most people asked enjoyed our thriller, which shows therefore that our opening is effective and appeals to the target audience.

Conclusion: as you can see from he above graph people who watched our thriller 13 said yes to watching our thriller again and only 7 said that they wouldn’t.

Conclusion: as you can see fromt he above graph people who watched our thriller said that we did create suspence successfully with 13 saying yes and 7 saying no.

Conclusion: as you can see fromt he above graph people who watched our thriller said that the best reason in which we didnt create suspence was because our thriller was boring.

Conclusion: as you can see fromt he above graph people who watched our thriller  said that the reasons in which we created suspence succesfully was the music and this was the one that people thought was the best.

Conclusion: as you can see fromt he above graph people who watched our thriller 14 people said that we used a wide range of camera angles successfully but only 6 people said that we didnt.

Conclusion: as you can see fromt he above graph people who watched our thriller said that we used the thriller codes and conventions successfully, whith the result being 25 yes to 5 no.

Conclusion: as you can see fromt he above graph people who watched our thriller say that in order to improve it we would need to put more action into it, closley followed by the continuity.

Conclusion: as you can see from the above graph that most of the people that we survayed would want to watch another film made by JAK productions.

Section 10 - Video Log Sheets

These are the tape log sheets for our filmed shots, which is the counter number on the tape, any necessary information about each shot and a decision on whether each shot was successful or not.

These are the edit decision lists. These show the counter number on the tape of all the shots we used in our complete thriller opening, as well as necessary information and effects/transitions we used between and in clips.