Planning

Grip light sample photos

The media department at the school which I attend has recently purchased a grip light, this is a industry standard production light which can be used as an artificial light. This is a piece of equipment which I may use during the production stage of this project. Therefore I decided to test this piece of equipment on one of my fellow students (Matthew Preece), I used a room which was completely dark in order to show the intensity of the light. Based on the results you can see that the light is very effective. I used a Nikon DSLR to take the pictures, and as you can see it captures pictures in a very high resolution.

Synopsis 

Johnny Douglas a black ops officer serving in Vietnam is abandoned by his squadron and left for dead. After surviving the harsh Vietnamese forests Johnny vowed to track down the surviving members of squadron and execute them, without mercy. After killing 7 members of his squadron, 5 remain. After executing one of the most evil black ops officers an aspiring investigative journalist discovers the body, soon the journalist is running for his his life all over the world, pursued by the former black ops officer. He must run for his life, and expose the truth!  

Sound sample

Using 'Audacity' and sound clips from 'Freesound' I have managed to create a sound sample which is similar to the soundtrack I will create my short opening sequence. The sound sample is a man through a forest in a chase scenario, I thought that it would be useful to create a sound sample because it will provide me with vital experience which will prove to be useful when I reach the post-production of my portfolio.   

Character profiling 

I have created a prezi, presentation which contains the back stories to the three main characters in my short opening sequence. I thought that it was vital to include this information because it provides the audience with an idea of the narrative and the structure of the rest of the film, I have included the link below:  

http://prezi.com/-kizqpi-8wl1/present/?auth_key=66ot7re&follow=7vny08c7llsy&kw=present--kizqpi-8wl1&rc=ref-30326663

Opening title sample 

I have included a sample of some text which is similar to what I will use when I reach the post production stage of my portfolio, my friend and fellow student Matthew Preece produced this image for me using Photoshop (he has given me full permission to use this image).. As you can see the colours red and white have been used, the colour white signifies the innocent people who be murdered as a result of the psychopathic killer that hunts the. The colour red symbolizes the danger the innocent people are in, and the carnage and blood shed which will take place as a result of the killer.      

 
Go Pro HD Hero 2
A section of my short opening sequence will be filmed using a Go Pro HD Hero 2, this is a camera which allows the user to capture fluid sequences, e.g. POV running sequences. Therefore allowing me to create high quality POV running sequences which add to the constant build up of tension. To create an impression of how this piece of equipment works and how effective it can be, I have included a YouTube video below:

Equipment/software 
Throughout the production and the post production stage I will constantly have to use different pieces of equipment, due to the amount of equipment I am going to use I will need a way of cataloging and monitoring the different types of equipment I will use. To solve this issue I have recorded all of the different pieces of equipment below:

• Camcorder
• Go Pro HD Hero 2 
• Tripod
• Nikon DSLR
• Adobe after effects 
• Final cut pro
• Adobe Photoshop
• Boom microphone

Sample photos

I have taken some some sample photos of different shot types to illustrate the different types of camera shots I will use in my short opening sequence, this allows me to show the different types of shots I will use in my in short opening sequence. Furthermore this has given me an opportunity to practice taking photos, which will prove to be useful when I reach the production stage of my short opening sequence.

Storyboard 
It is important to have a firm idea of what you want to produce when you reach the production stage, taking this into consideration I decided to produce  a storyboard which will show me exactly what I need to film when I reach the production stage. My short opening sequence contains 25 versatile shots which add to the constant build up of suspense, and the gripping 'cliff hanger' ending. I have split my storyboard into 8 separate images to make it easy to follow. 

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Image 6 

Image 7

Image 8 

Assistance with editing
 When I reach the post-production stage of the assignment I will need help with some of the effects that I am hoping to add to my short, opening sequence. Therefore I have created this table to show myself and other what I need help with and who will help me to complete the task.

Editing
There are many different types of editing, I will incorporate some of them into my short opening sequence using various computer programs (e.g. Final cut and Adobe After Effects). Some editing components are:

• Cut-basically placing one shot after another, cuts are used because they are fast (meaning they don't dissect the action) and efficient. Production companies use them to seamlessly link shots together.   
• Jump cut-a type of transition that joins shots together, they appear to be 'jumping'. Usually constructed by taking shots of the same of actor from various angles. However some critics believe that it is 'non classical form of editing
• Fade-a type of transition in which the screen changes from black to white, often used to indicate the beginning and end of a scene.
• Crossfade/dissolve/mix-a type of transition that involves fading from one shot to another, this type of transition is a lot slower than a cut. Therefore it is used to give the impression of time passing or to create a atmosphere.
• Wipe-this transition involves shots rapidly appearing on the screen and being replaced by new shots in a fast fluid transition. Wipes are generally used to give the impression of changing from 1 location to another.
• Digital effect-a variety of computer generated effects which are added to the film in post production, used to enhance the experience of a film. Adds another layer to a film, adds to the appeal of a high-quality film. 

Company idea/brand development
This video explains the core message of film production company, and provides the audeince with vital information about it. I decided that it is relevant to explain the priniciple behind my film production company ('Senior Productions') becuase the audience will be able to take this knowledge and use it to understand my short, opening sequence. This presentation includes, brand development, specializing, influences and my company message. 

Age rating
Age rating is one of the most important factor to prepare for when planning a film, therefore I have created a short presentation which the certificate which I believe my short opening sequence requires and the BBFC regulations for that certificate. 
 

Logo-film production company (Senior Productions) 
This the logo for my film production company, I will use this logo in my short opening sequence to make my opening sequence appear more professional and legitimate  The design for my logo features traits which are conventional features of production company logos, I decided to include these conventional features because they add to the appeal of my short opening sequence. When I produce my short opening sequence I want to ensure that it looks and feels professional, therefore making my opening sequence appear more professional. This factor has influenced the name of my production company I chose the name 'Senior Productions' because it looks and sounds professional, due to the fact many famous production companies use surnames and therefore including my surname emulates this. Furthermore I chose to make title red because it creates a number of connotations, for example the colour red signifies blood this links to the level of violence that I am going to include in my short opening sequence. On the other hand I decided to place the title of my production company on a black background because the colour black connotes fear and suspense, this is an advantageous connotation because my short opening sequence will belong to 'thriller' genre. Both fear and suspense are active conventional features of this genre, so this is an important factor to include. I have included my logo below:

Target audience
The target audience for my short opening sequence will be males and females aged 15-50, I have chosen a large age group because I believe that the thriller genre in itself appeals to a variety of age groups. Therefore due to the fact that I am creating a conventional thriller opening sequence I decided that it would be beneficial to appeal to versatile target audience. My target audience are mediocre film fanatics  they enjoy thriller films, but they aren't restricted to a particular genre. Furthermore they enjoy socializing about films, therefore I am going to ensure that my opening sequence is a suitable topic of conversation. My target audience has watched a fair number of thriller films, and therefore they are aware of the conventional features of thriller films. They are able identify a well-produced film, from a poorly produced film. This target market has a high level of exception when watching a film, this replicates the ethos of my short opening sequence. I aim to create a high quality, enjoyable, opening sequence which belongs to thriller genre. This target audience in particular has a clear focus on what they want in life and how they can achieve it, they are confident individuals.

I have decided to choose this target market because I know that it is easier to target a specific target audience, target audiences which are unspecific and lack detail are a lot more difficult to produce films for. This is due to the fact that the film producer will have too many choices to make regarding the content of the film, they will try to make the film more versatile-in order to appeal to a larger target audience. This could lead to accidentally alienating certain members of the audience. Therefore it is a lot more difficult to produce films for an unspecific target audience. Based on this information I have decided to produce a short opening sequence for a specific target audience, meaning that when I reach the production stage of this process I will be able to make clear decision based on information about my target audience.