Planning: Mise en Scene - Mrs. Quinlan

What is Mise en Scene? Why is it important to consider it in your opening?

Mise en Scene is an important factor that includes: costume, hair and make-up, iconography, facial expression and body language, setting, lighting and colour. These are important because together they complete a whole and can create some a reality that is viewed by the audience. It is important that Mise en scene is well planned with other micro elements because different stimulus will affect the way Mise en Scene needs to be presented. This micro element works with any other one and together can create a strong effect and cause an intense audience response. for example a contrapuntal sound of a joyful soundtrack in a setting like a abandoned and eerie house will create a sense a frustration as the audience doesn't know what will happen.  Simultaneously Mise en Scene on its own can already help the viewer to create some assumptions based on the way that these aspects are used. For example if the victim is wearing white clothing it makes the viewers assume that she is vulnerable and exposed. Mise en scene is important to consider because if used inaccurately it will cause distortion to the scene and can leave the audience frustrated and angry because they already hold some expectations which were unsatisfied.

The intended Mise en Scene for our Thriller Opening:


Iconography:

      News Paper cut outs- these will play as typography to our opening credits and will be used throughout. We decided on this less typical typography because it will make the viewer intrigued and much more engaged into the viewing as they are encountered with something less familiar. Additionally, often newspaper cut outs are associated with threat and blackmail because these help to hide the antagonist hand writing and keep them anonymous which can create a sense of unsettlement for the spectator who will feel uneasy about using such secretive way to present the opening credits as nothing obvious is revealed.

Magazines- another inevitable iconography used will be the fashion magazines which will be constantly referred to and shown throughout the opening, forming almost a montage of images. We decided to use magazines because it will fit nicely with the idea of newspaper typography as well as these fashion magazines will almost give an insight of the characters life and interest which can be interesting for the audience to see. Simultaneously, these can be a false clue for the audience who will instantly connote fashion with the female gender, however as an element of surprise we decided that this deception will impact the audience more when they start to release that this is in fact a male character. Additionally, these magazines will have beheaded models on, which yet again will help to give an insight of this character likings as well as show that this is an antagonist of the narrative and someone we should loathe.

Red Lipstick- another iconography that will be reinforced throughout the opening is the red lipstick that will be used to write in the title of the film. We wanted to use a lipstick to reinforce the female nature and yet again false clue our audience which will help to build to the climax and element of surprise. At the same time red is a strong color with connotations of evil, which will show that this is an antagonist, as well as blood, which will symbolize that the character has brutal intension, but also passion, showing that this is someone with an obscure obsession and crazy passion towards his interest.

Red Bra and Underwear- this iconography will be briefly accompanied by one of the cast names. We decided that the character will quickly grab these props, as if rushing to do something or being ashamed, which will intrigue the viewer who is unaware of what is happening. We decided on a red bra and underwear because bras are a part of female attire which will alert the viewer who will think that this is in fact a female character. We want it to be red as, similarly to the red lipstick, this colour has strong connotations and will also imply sexual desire or romantic passion which will seem obscene when we realize that this is a man, surprising the audience.

Mannequin- this will be displayed at the middle of our sequence and a zoom in will be used to introduce this and show its significance. We decided on a mannequin because it will show that this character has a passion, nearly an obsession, for female fashion and females overall. This will make the viewer feel uncomfortable, knowing that this person if out of control with his longings which is typical of an antagonist as often they have a fixation on one thing that they keep hold on to throughout the film.

Mirror- lastly, we intend on using a mirror which will display the title written on with a lipstick. We want to use this iconography because it will be a metaphor for reflection of his past as well as real him. It will also help to reinforce the idea of female gender because stereotypically they tend to spend a lot of their time trying to improve their image and looks which shows that this character wants a change in his life, making the audience reflect on themselves.

Body Language & Facial expression:

      The main character will have a steady and firm body language when the audience is finally fully introduced to him at a low angle. This will give him superiority and authority amongst the viewers who need to look up to him, which will make them feel intimidated too. At the same time this posture will show that this is a strong character and is determined about something, which contrasts his feminine side and unconventional clothing.

When the character leaves, his body language will be very masculine and juxtapose the feminine clothing. This will give the audience more insight into the character, proposing that this is someone who has a split personality and seems lost in the society; not knowing how to behave.

The character will have an angry facial expression when he looks at the magazine cover. This will represent his feelings of hatred towards the models, allowing the audience to infer that he is either jealous of them or has a troubled mental state in which case he can be seen as a threat.

 However as the character calms down and leaves, his facial expression will seem lifeless and dead, proposing that he is fed up or has another goal. This concerns the audience because they can infer that he will take out his anger in another way, probably cause harm to someone else or himself. This therefore leaves the viewer in apprehension, because they could worry for his victims but at the same time do not want him to end his life or hurt himself.

Lighting & Colours:

Lighting - The lighting we intend to use is low key with top lighting throughout the scene. This is because we wants to create a cunning and evil atmosphere and make the audience have a fearful response. Moreover we will use the top lighting to focus on the objects such as the magazines and the writing in the mirrors. The under lighting will be used when the main character is portrayed in the camera and begin to wear tights and a dress. This is because we want to show the character's silhouette and make the viewers feel uncomfortable as the character's identity is unknown. Lastly, we think that these key lighting are conventional to the thriller genre which will give the right response from the spectators which are threat and mysteriousness.  

Colours - The colours that we intend to use during the editing is a yellow filter to convey the feeling of mysteriousness. Also the dress will be red to connotes the feminine ways of woman and the passions that this character has for woman. Furthermore even the pen that the character will use to cross the models in the magazine, will be red to connote danger and misery. The tights will be black because is conventional and credible. Whereas, the lipstick will be dark red to connote blood and revenge and makes the audience feel curious and want to see more. Overall, we think that these colours will suit our thriller opening and makes the audience have the proper feeling and emotions.

Setting:

     The first part of our opening scene will be set in a drama room because of its lack of lighting and wide spacing thus giving a thrilling atmosphere, appropriate for the genre, and easy to film in. We also chose the drama room due to the scratches and marks on the black floor which creates a distorting effect to the audience as it gets them thinking what caused all the scratches and overall looks concerning. This is conventional to a thriller genre because it will create a threatening and chaotic atmosphere for the viewer, who is unaware of the location just yet, and because of the surrounding darkness. This will make the audience feel intrigued but at the same time scared as often we fear of unknown but want to find out what is being hidden from us.

The rest of the opening scene will be set in 'Moda Istanbul Boutique’ where the location will be much clearer to infer for the viewer. We decided that this location would be suitable for our opening scene because it can give an insight into the character past or hobby, thus show the audience what are they like. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it will be an isolated setting with low key lighting, creating a threatening atmosphere. Also, often settings are used to create a specific character representation. This will make the audience feel scared because they can sense that something bad will happen through the isolation and low key light which is often evident before the climax. 

Conclusion:

      In closure, after planning all the micro elements was beneficial because it allowed us to save time while filming and make correction if needed. Also we were able to predict the response that the audience might have and realize if they were the one that we wanted. If not we were able to change it and make it more professional and credible for our opening thriller. Furthermore, the different choice we made for our thriller opening are conventional to the thriller genre because the mise en scene are allows to challenge some stereotypes which is conventional to the thriller genre. Overall, planning the micro elements was useful because we did not miss any of them.

Planning: Shot List - Miss Begum

What is a shot list? why is it important?

A shot list is schedule of all cinematography techniques that we are intended to use while filming our opening thriller. This is created after drawing the storyboard narration because it has enough details for you to use and list exactly all the frame. The shot list include angle, movements and sizes that we will use with quick notes on what they will display which is beneficial because it allows us to stay organised and film the opening thriller quickly and professionally.


The advantages of a shot list:

• allows to structure your sequence in greater detail
• helps the cinematographers when filming
• helps to decide whether there is enough range in your cinematography
• plans exactly what to use and when
• can be used at any stage of filming
• can be referred to when someone gets stuck
• easy to create
• simple to follow
• easy to adjust if needed.

Conclusion:

Overall, after creating this shot list was beneficial because it allows us to stay organised and plan our cinematography we intended to use without repeating the same one. Additionally, it was easy to create and will be taken when filming so everything stay in order. 

Planning: Planning cinematography, sound and editing - Mrs. Quinlan

Micro elements are essential when creating a movie. This include:

• Cinematography

• Sound

• Editing

• Mise en Scene

Cinematography is categorised into three section which are sizes, angle and movement. The shot sizes help establish a setting or focus on a specific object with the extreme close up shot. Angle can help to shoe different power distributions among the characters. Whereas, movements helps demonstrate how the protagonist is feeling or where the protagonist is going with the use of the panning shot.  Sound help create the atmosphere of the scene with added or real sound. For example the use of diegetic sound of gun shot and knife stabbing makes the audience have a fearful response, whereas a cheerful soundtrack will make the viewers feel relaxed and comfortable. Editing usually compliments the sound in order to have exaggerated effects and meaning to the spectators. Editing transition help to frame the shot fluently if edited well. Also, different edits have different meanings, for example a fade to white usually connote to a dream or something happens in past which was joyful. A fade to black is usually used in trailers, so they don't spoil the narrative of the movie and also to move to another frame fluently. It is also used at the end of a movie to signify the end. Mise en Scene includes everything that is on stage including the actor. This involves costume, hair and make-up, setting, iconography, lighting and colours, body language and facial expression.

Common use of cinematography in thriller movie:

Cinematography is one of the important microelements of the film industry. For example a high angle will be used to a female victim demonstrating her weak status, whereas a low angle will be used to the antagonist to show that he in in power to kill the victim. Not only it help to establish characters but also setting and iconography. An example that will usually use in a thriller movie would be a close up of a facial expression of the protagonist to show his determination or an iconography that has significance in the scene.

This is a list of the most significant cinematography techniques that we plan to include in our thriller opening:

Close up

One of the first cinematography techniques will be a close up of a double page spread from a fashion magazine with three beheaded women. We chose to use this shot because it will allow to show clearly the iconography and the beheaded women so the audience can put their full attention on this image. Also the close up will not reveal the identity of the hidden character who stays anonymous until the end of the sequence. This shot is conventional to a thriller because often close ups are used to show something significant without revealing the main character which helps to create a buildup of tension. This close up will have an effect on the audience as they will become curious of who could commit such a cruel act to a vulnerable female models. A similar close up is used in the opening of Seven where the character crosses out and highlights different texts from the Holy Bible without revealing his identity. This technique works well in this opening because it helps to keep the element of surprise and suspense for the viewer who is oblivious to the character on screen.

Medium Close up

Another shot that we decided to use was a medium close up which will display one of the cast names as well as a red bra which will be quickly grabbed by someone’s hand off the screen. We chose to use this shot because it will allow to show two things at once, one being the credit and second being the red bra with a hand. However it will be close enough not to reveal too much of the characters identity and keep the audience intrigued. This shot is conventional to a thriller opening because often close up shots are used continuously in order to stimulate the spectator senses as well as their curiosity. This shot will make the audience feel curious because they are unable to predict what will happen as well as are not able to tell anything about what is going on. A medium close up is effectively used in the opening of Saw where the male character is exposed to the light and realizes that he is kidnapped. This allows the audience to see his fearful facial expressions but does not show the full location, leaving them in suspense.

Zoom in

We decided that we will use a zoom in when the frame introduces the iconography of the mannequin for the first time. We chose to use this camera movement because it will help to place emphasis on the mannequin and suggest that this is something significant and will play a part in the narrative or influence the character. This movement is conventional to the thriller genre because often thrillers tend to use zoom in in order to make sure that the audience will focus their full attention on the object/ person that the frame displays. I think that this zoom in will make the audience feel intrigued because they will be wondering why is a mannequin such a significant object and how will it influence the upcoming actions in the narrative. A zoom in is effectively used in the ending scene from Psycho. This is evident when the antagonist gives his final monologue and the camera zooms into his facial expression, showing that he is in fact a psychopath. This zoom in makes the audience place their attention on the character and allows to learn something about him.

Extreme Close up

Another example that we have decided on is an extreme close up. this shot will display the character's lips which are being painted with a red lipstick. We decided to use an extreme close up to display this frame because it will place emphasis on the red colour as well as help to keep the character identity anonymous. The emphasis of red will make the audience feel fearful because red connotes evil and blood which propose danger, thus creating a threatening atmosphere for the viewer who will expect something dramatic to happen. This shot is conventional to the thriller genre because usually extreme close ups are used in order to make something very significant and show it's importance in the narrative. An example of an extreme close up is used in the thriller Knowing. The dates and numbers which were circled in red marker were often displayed in an extreme close up to show their importance in the narrative as well as to show that they are dangerous, which was evident by the use of red marker. 

Low Angle

Moreover, our group decided to use a low angle when the character is partially reveled. We wanted to use this low angle because it will show this character's supremacy as well as suggest that they are in fact dangerous. This angle is conventional to the thriller genre because often angles help to establish the hierarchy and power distribution between the characters. In thrillers, low angles, are usually used to make someone look dominant and powerful in comparison to others. This angle would make the audience feel intimidated by the character who has much more authority ans supremacy over the vulnerable viewer who needs to look up to the character. A low angle is used in the thriller Wanted where the character of Morgan Freeman is displayed at a low angle to show his high status and power within his crew.

Tilt shot

We have come to the conclusion that a tilt shot should be used to fully introduce the character, starting from bottom to top, displaying his full image. We want to use this movement because it will allow to closely display the antagonist and almost evaluate his features, including costume, make up and body language which will allow to convey the character representation. This movement is conventional to a thriller genre because often tilt shots are used to introduce a significant character who will have a massive impact on the narrative. This tilt shot is likely to make the audience feel shocked realizing that this is a man who wears female clothing but at the same time they could feel fulfillment because they finally got to know who the anonymous character is. An example of an effective tilt shot is used in the opening of a mystery thriller Chloe, where the tilt shot reveals one of the main characters, allowing the audience to see her body language and costume.

Long shot

Lastly my group and I have decided to use a long shot at the end of our sequence. This shot will display the silhouette of the antagonist walking out of a dark yet unknown location. We want to use this particular shot to end our opening because it leaves the viewer with a cliff hanger. Additionally the viewer will be in apprehension because they are unaware of what the antagonist actions, are and where did he go. This shot is conventional to the thriller genre because often long shots are used to allow to the audience see full body as well as surroundings. Because the setting is very dark the audience will be able to infer that this character has evil intentions. A long shot is utilise towards the end of thriller Seven, where Somerset runs towards Mills and the antagonist tell them whats in the 'box'. That shot allows the audience to see a full body language and the deserted location giving the audience some information in the scene.

Common use of sound in thriller movie:

Sound is significant in any movie genre because is set the mood and the atmosphere of the scene and movie. In a thriller movie we will usually hear the on-screen sound of the female victim screaming for help, also the sound of footstep and explosion to create suspense and excitement to the audience. Another example would be the eerie soundtrack to create anxiety and make the viewer feel uncomfortable, which is conventional to a thriller movie.

This are the sounds we intend to use in our thriller opening:

There will be non- diegetic/ contrapuntal sound of a ballerina box used right at the beginning of the opening credits. We chose to use this because it will not match with the dark atmosphere of the scene, making the viewer confused and intrigued. This will also express the child like innocence behind the story but how much damage obsession and hatred had caused. This is conventional as this kind of non-diegetic sound can give a background story and additional knowledge for the viewer. From this the audience will feel insecure because the simple tune will have a haunting effect giving this scene a fearful atmosphere. The innocent track will be then replaced by growing eerie non diegetic sound.

Non-diegetic sound of an eerie metallic sound track will then be used throughout the opening scene, however it will be manipulated by pitch, volume and pace in order to make the sequence exciting. We chose this because eerie metal music will support the thriller genre, already signifying the audience what they could expect from the narrative. This kind of music could also scare the viewer which is the outcome of a thriller. This is similar in the opening of Seven where the non- diegetic sound changes in volume through out to create thrill as well as tension for the viewer.

An increase of tempo of the non-diegetic sound track will be used when the unknown character in the opening scene picks up the red bra while typography is being presented. We chose to increase the pace in order to place emphasis on this iconography. This is conventional to a thriller opening scene because it shows the audience that the red bra has a significance to the whole film and gives them connotations on what to expect. However, could make the audience insecure because such iconography can cause controversy as knowing that this could have a significance in the film which could show that this thriller will be touching upon sensitive topics.

Furthermore we intended to use on screen sound of the antagonist footsteps, while he walk and kick a red lipstick demonstrating his disturbed persona. While he walks we will see his high heels boots taking heavy steps, making the viewers feel frustrated as his identity is not reveled. This is conventional to the thriller genre because it build a feeling of suspense, creating a chilling response.

Lastly, we plan to use off screen sound of a squeaky scratching while the opening credits are shown. This will create a chilling response from the spectators as they do not know what to expect and where the sound is coming from, therefore making them having a fearful response which is conventional to the thriller genre.    

The use of these sounds will help to establish the genre of the film as well as help the viewer to infer the character’s role within the narrative because of the way that he has been presented. I think that the use of the mild and innocent ballerina box music in contrast of heavy metal is effective because it shows the change the character underwent and how much hatred he has gained from being completely vulnerable and innocent.

Common use of editing techniques in thriller movie:

Editing as any other micro-elements is essential when creating a movie. In an action-thriller movie face pace editing will usually come to use when a chasing or a fight takes place to have a major impact with audience. Reaction shot are mostly used in horror-thriller as well as in the audience when they are scared by the unexpected frame and sound that are shown in the scene, which are conventional to the thriller genre.

These are the editing techniques that we intend to use:

Cross-cut: One of the first editing technique that we chose to include was the cross cut. This editing techniques is mostly used in our opening thriller which will introduces the opening credits, then cross-cut to another frame showing an Elle magazine with the front page of the model cuts out, and then again back to the opening credits of newspaper cuts-out. We choose this technique because we want the scene to be chaotic and make the audience feel intrigue and create mysteriousness. This shot is conventional to a thriller genre as it introduces two setting without confusing the audience. We decided to create mysteriousness throughout the opening thriller, thus we though that this editing will be suitable for this shot.

Dissolve: Furthermore, a dissolve will be used when the opening credits of the cast member are shown with the iconography of the red bra, then a dissolve is put in place. This is because is the first iconography where the audience are able to make assumption about the character, thus the dissolve transition will focus of the iconography and make the audience feel curious and want to find out more about the character. This edit technique is conventional to a thriller movie, because it introduces another frame fluently, or sometimes makes the scene looks chaotic if is framed well. This will make the audience engage and want to find out more what will happen next.

Jump Cut: Additionally,  a jump cut will be utilize when the mysterious character begin to wear a tights. This is because we don't want to make the audience feel bored or show them how to put on some thighs, but to save time while filming and also make the scene look disturbed which will make the audience feel curious and anxious, as the identity of the mysterious character in nor revealed. This editing technique is conventional to a thriller genre because it allows more action to take place in a short time making the audience paying attention. Also is a technique that add distortion and negativity to the frame which it's what it were looking for.

Slow Motion: This slow motion technique will be combined with the tilt shot when the mysterious character wears a lady dress. The slow motion will focus on the action that is taking place, while the tilt shot will partially shows the identity of the mysterious character. This will make the audience feel interested as they may think that he character is going out to have fun. This is a conventional editing techniques for the thriller genre because it helps emphasis in a specific object or character. This will make the spectators feel intrigue and keep them watching.

Fade to Black: Lastly, a fade to black is portrayed at the end of the scene. This is because we want to demonstrate that the opening scene is come to an end. This will leave the audience questioning what will happen. Also as black as connotations of death and misery, the audience are more likely to think that the character was the antagonist and is ready to commit negative actions. This will makes the audience feel frustrated as they do not know what were his intentions and left with suspense which is conventional to the thriller genre as the theme of mystery is presented.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, after looking all the different micro elements that we intentionally want use we are more organized and know how to make the audience feel. This important because if we use the unconventional micro elements we will not receive the right audience response therefore lose our audience. Lastly, we were able to see which techniques we were using without repeating the same which was beneficial as the audience will not get bored.

Planning: Character Representation - Mrs. Quinlan

What are character representations? Why are they important?

Character representations are the specific trait of the individuals that create his persona, often based on stereotypes. Each character has specific connotations and representation that define him/her and his/her role. This allows the audience to have different response and from the role that the character is playing. For example a protagonist from a thriller movie will wears a black and white suits, the white will connote to his good intentions and good looking persona whereas the black will connote to his mistakes. Furthermore, a female victim will wear white clothing. This is because it portrayed her innocent and fragile persona. Lastly, the antagonist will always wears dark clothing to represents his evil intentions and psychopath persona. Thus character representation are important because it differentiated each character from one another, which allows the audience to have different response and meaning to it.

Our character representation:

Name: Unknown. - We chose to keep our character anonymous because it will create more threat around their character as well as hinting the viewer that this is someone they should be afraid of because they have something to hide and are a secretive person that we should stay away from in order to avoid trouble.

Character Role: Antagonist- we decided that this character will be an antagonist. This is because they are very secretive and try to hide themselves away from everyone, which are typical traits of an antagonist as often someone tries to hide when they’ve done something wrong, as well as they are capable of evil acts and intentions. For example, beheading models on magazine covers is a brutal act, proposing that this person intends on hurting these females, which immediately makes him look like an antagonist.

Gender Stereotype of Role: the character is a male, which the audience learns towards the end of the sequence. Stereotypically males are the antagonists because they tend to be represented as the dominant gender which has power over the subordinate females. Therefore making our antagonist a male will have an impact on the audience who will find this character much more threatening and superior. Additionally, beginning a thriller opening with a male antagonist will make the audience lose their hope because they are unaware whether there is a protagonist to safe a day which will cause extra audience response.

Age: 30-35. - This is because stereotypically men at this age are usually settled and married, having a family and leading a good life. However by juxtaposing this idea the audience will see that this character is corrupted and leads a completely different life; proposing different morals. It displays an unidealistic reality which is often explored in the thriller genre. This would make the audience cringe and feel intrigued with the unfamiliar image.

Costume: The character will be wearing black tights with ripped holes in them in order to show that he is trying to be attractive and sexually appealing. The ripped holes on the other side will metaphorically show that the character is somehow missing his personality and has unfulfilled life and desires. However the holes can show that putting these thighs on was an effort because they do not fit him at all suggesting that he feels like he doesn’t fit in society, as well as has some psychopathic tendencies because of lack of respects and care for his body and appearance. This would make the audience feel pity towards him because it seems like he is an unhappy and disturbed person who needs a health care professional. On the other hand knowing that this is someone who is capable of so much hatred and brutality towards the subordinate gender shows that this is a dangerous character that we should beware of and stay away from. Additionally, the character wears a bright dress which seems to be too tight for him, making the audience feel disgust towards him because they feel like this is an obscure obsession or even perversion towards women. The dress will look untidy too, again reinforcing that the character doesn’t care for himself thus making the audience feel uncomfortable about the whole idea of a man dressed in more feminine way.

Hair and Make-Up: we plan to place red lipstick and dark eye shadow on the antagonists face. This is because we want to reinforce this idea of not keeping care for himself because if makes the whole atmosphere less comfortable for the viewer. Additionally this make up will then be heavily smudged which will show the carelessness as well as give the character an evil and psychopathic look. His hair should be messy to reinforce the idea of carelessness and make him look even more threatening and capable of any deed; making the viewer feel insecure and scared about their safety.

Body language and Facial Expression: The character will have a rough body language and movement throughout the opening to try to show his dominance as well as emphasizes that he is in fact the antagonist that we should be afraid of. The sharp movement could emphasize on his psychopathic personality and carelessness towards other beings and himself. It will also help to show his neurotic personality which will make the audience feel uncomfortable knowing that this is an unstable character and partially cannot control himself. His facial expressions will be full of hatred and anger, especially when looking at the beautiful female models on the front covers of fashion magazines. This will display the true loathing towards the opposite sex, making the audience (especially female viewers) insecure because they will realize the strong feelings that the antagonist has for the female models.

Represented as: psychopathic through his destroyed costume, hair and make-up. This is because all these aspects will look undone and the idea of walking around in this state and manner seems unacceptable and silly on the antagonist’s behalf. This will make the audience feel afraid of the character. Moreover he will be represented as an antagonist because of the implication of beheading young women which is a cruel act and only an antagonist would be capable of that thus making the audience feel afraid of him.

Role within the Narrative:  He is an antagonist because his role will evoke feelings of disgust and loathe from the audience due to his acts. This will be evident when he seems to plan on beheading models and seem to have so much hatred towards them. We then start to feel disturbed when he picks up the red underwear because it seems controversial and disturbing.  However, when he starts to dress up and smudge his make up the audience will feel confused because they start to pity him a little, as he seems to need urgent care but isn’t going to receive any, which leaves them in dilemma. At the end the audience are left with this dilemma because the character walks out leaving the viewer with wonder.

Conclusion:

In closure, after completing this task I am more aware what our main character will look like and his persona. Thus while filming we have to be very careful to bring the right equipment, costume and make-up for a real and professional character. If these representation are wrongly done, the opening thriller will not look professional and credible as we were expecting, and also we will be in risk to lose our audience caused by the inaccurate representation. We chooses to represent our antagonist this way because it's original, thus making the viewers more intrigued to the narrative of our thriller opening. It's debatable that our character is both conventional and unconventional. Conventional because having a different antagonist is often the case, whereas unconventional because of the exaggerated representation of feminism.

Planning: Production Roles - Miss Begum

What are production roles? Why are they important?

Production roles are jobs that are assigned to a member of the group who will be responsible of it. In the industry there will be more than one person doing the same job allowing more creative ideas to come up and also allowing the film to happen. However, because there is a limited number of members in our group we had to take more than one role. These are roles that were distributes within our group:

• Director

• Editor

• Sound Operator

• Location Manager

• Lighting Operator

• Producer

• Camera Operator

• Storyboard Organizer

• Costume, hair and make-up artist

These roles are important because it gives us a clear structure of the narrative and how to film the opening professionally, also it gives a clear organization of who is in charge of what, allowing to distributes the role to people that feel more comfortable and work their abilities and strengths the best.

The role assigned and why:

Director: a film director is in charge of the visualization of the script by guiding the film crews as well as actors to complete his/her vision. Directors need to look out for others and make sure to give constructive feedback in order to improve the work and bring the film into life. Also they need to stay organized within the crew as well as the budget. A Director has to be responsible and feel confident within his decision. This role has been assigned to Gulustan. This is because she was capable of directing and managing the group as well as giving constructive feedback throughout the process. Furthermore, she has been the director of our Preliminary Task and did a good job as she have leadership skills.

Producer: film producer take part on a variety of roles. They cooperate many aspects of the film such as selecting a script, which would then given to the director, being in charge of the finance and budgeting. Producers cannot always supervise all of the production, therefore they can hire executive or line producers that will help finishing the movie making. However, it is the producer who has the last word on music, editing and everything else within the production. I was nominated to be the producer of the opening thriller. This is because I can cooperate well, as well having multiple skills which will allow me to make positive and good decision for the group. Also I will make sure that our production  runs well and be successful.

Editor: a film editor has the job to combine every shots and frame and place them together to create the video, according to the script narrative. They add all the transitions as well as the edits. They must work intensively by developing the images and complements each others as well as the sound, pace and acting.  Editors play a huge role in the film industry because editing is time consuming and hard job. Our group nominated Natalia to do the editing because she is hard working and patient. She also has the required skill for editing videos in a professional way, thus she is in charge of being the Editor.

Sound Operator: they are responsible for recording and adjust the sound during the filming stage. This usually include the dialogue, background sound and added music. Usually, sound operator work closely with editors because these two film aspects always complement each others. Gulustan is in charge of this role. This is because she has a passion for music ads is quite experienced with the program which will help us when creating the soundtrack.

Location Manager: a location manager is the member who is in charge of finding the appropriate setting that will suit the narrative. They need to gain permission from the authorities and let them know the exact situation and plans of how the space would be used. The location manager has also the priority to emerge the possible issues that could arise during filming. I was assigned to this role because I know a lot of possible setting that would fit the narrative of the opening thriller.

Lighting Operator: these are in charge of controlling artificial light while filming. Lighting operators are responsible for the movement ans set up of lighting equipment to create shadow, or necessary lighting in the scene or specific character. This role has been allocated to Natalia because she knows a lot about lighting techniques and how to use them effectively to help create the right mood and atmosphere in the scene. 

Camera Operator/ Camera Person: in the film industry these members are often called the cinematographers. The camera operator are in charge of operating the camera and trying to use a variety of cinematography techniques that will create a character representation and meaning to it. Often the camera person needs to be creative and have talent for picking up naturalistic shots. These two roles has been set to me and Gulustan. This is because Gulustan is the director too and will be able to pursue her vision accurately, I will be in charge of the other camera because I am quite good with cinematography and also I can work well with Gulustan.

Storyboard Organizer: the storyboard organizer has to make sure that the narrative is been drawn by the artist and has fluency to it. They have to make sure that everything is right before submitting the idea to the director who needs to approve it before hand. This also allow to ensure that no further mistakes are made while filming. This role was given to Natalia because she has talent to draw and she is able to visualize the narrative easily. This is important because without the cinematographers we will not be able to film the footage accurately.

Costume, hair and make-up: the artist's work closely with the actors as well as the director in order to pursue a believable character. They are in charge of the picking the costume and hairstyle which need to be approved by the director. This is important because these traits will convey meaning and representation to the audience. This job was allocated to Natalia because she is a creating person and will be able to acquire the exact and accurate character representation which is necessary in a film so they spectators will know exactly who everyone is.

Conclusion:

In closure, this task was beneficial because it helped us to assigned the roles to our members as well as chose the roles for our selves which will allow our group to stay coordinate. After completing this task our group is now confident and excited to create the opening thriller because we are working in our favourite fields.

Planning: Preliminary Task - Miss Begum

What is Preliminary Task? Why is it important?

A Preliminary Task is when a group is given a camera to film and edit a sequence without too many instruction to follow. The aim of this task is to familiarize with the camera as well as the process of editing and filming your own sequence. It also allow all your group member to have a role and participate in something that is done together, improving team work and building confidence. The criteria that was given to us was to:

• film a sequence of 30 seconds
• use a variety of cinematography
• editing on action

Furthermore, Preliminary task is important because it prepares you when you are filming your own thriller sequence, providing you the basic knowledge on how to treat a camera and his functions. This also allows us to have experience and learn from our mistakes.

The Preliminary Task:

Scenario of our Preliminary Task:

Within our group we created a simple scenario that will fit the 30 second criteria.

• The scene begins with Bibi who is peacefully doing her homework in an empty classroom. This frame holds for a bit in order to reflect the peace and precision/effort that is placed into her work.

• She is interrupted by her fellow classmate, Gulustan. The medium long shot allows to see Gulustan fully as well as the door that she as entered in.

• Gulustan sit next to Bibi who is willing to help her out so they can both complete the set work. The two shots shows they are classmate and keen on helping each other.

• As they both sat down and begin to work, Gulustan notices Bibi's bracelets. Continued two shots shows both students and their reactions during the conversation.

• Bibi explains that she brought it last Friday. Zoom in is used to put emphasis on the bracelet and show that this is an objects of significance within the narrative.

Group Roles:

While filming and editing this sequence, we have given each members of our group a role, so we will stay organized without creating too many issues. We have assigned the roles by preferences and personal strengths to create something good. I was in charge to take part on the sequence as actor and  also of the location as well as lighting. Whereas, Gulustan has taken the role of director as she gave the group good ideas throughout the scene making and support everyone, and also took the role of acting as well. Natalia had the job to film the sequence as she is interested in the camera work and cinematography. This helped us because we were able to gain experience for the actual product, as all of us took part of the editing of the preliminary task. 

Lastly, for our final product we have decided to change some of our roles. This is because we realize that some of our group members were brilliant in other roles. For example, I will take the role of editing with Natalia as I enjoyed and feel confident when doing it. Additionally, Natalia will take care of the Mise en Scene which are necessary when filming, as she know how to convey meaning ans response through them. I will take the role of the producer as I am well organised and willing to help to guide my group members in the production stage, thus making our final product look best as possible it can be. 

Difficulties encountered during Filming:

• First off it was difficult to zoom in/out. This is because the button was sensitive, hence you had to be extremely careful in order to zoom in slowly, otherwise it would smudge the image and look unprofessional and unrealistic. This was resolved by trying to practice using the zoom in/ out button and try to get the right take.

• Another difficulty that we have come across with was the fact that we were unaware of how long the footage was lasting. This is because each new take has started with a count from 0. This was resolved by filming few more takes in order to have more material that was cut out later on, during the editing stage.

• A difficulty that we had to tackle whilst filming was the lack of knowledge about editing stages. We didn't know exactly what is available in Final Cut Pro because we were unfamiliar with the program and weren't aware of all of its features. This was resolved by deciding to take short and simple footage which wouldn't cause a problem to edit.
• Lastly, the difficulty that we had to encounter was the other people that came across our way while we were trying to film our task. Some people tried to enter the class room or walked past causing a distraction for the actors. This was tackled by really trying to put our full attention on the task as well as trying to ignore others.

• The ‘start/stop’ button had some delays. Hence it was hard to end the filming at the appropriate time. This was tackled by cutting out the unnecessary footage during the editing stage.

• It was difficult to hold the camera still, it made the image look shaky and unclear. We tried to tackle this by making slow and precise hand movements however it think that this issue could be solved with a use of a tripod.

• We were also limited by the lack of battery which meant that we had to film while charging which made the camera movement harder and distorted. This needs to be taken into consideration when creating the opening. The camera has to be charged, otherwise we would be limited in movement and could potentially miss out on better shots.

Difficulties encountered while Editing;

• It was difficult to get started. This is because we were unfamiliar with the program and had to check out all of its possibilities and features. This was resolved by trying to work out how everything works and just practising with different frames. We have used simple cuts which allowed to complete this preliminary task. However for the final production we will be able to use the best edits and transitions.

• It was hard to remove the unwanted footage because sometimes we had cut it too little or too much which made the scene look distorted. This is necessary to know because we have tried to leave the best examples and get rid of the rubbish ones. For the final production we will have to film for a little bit longer so it would be easier to erase the unneeded film. We will also need to be very careful when we edit.

• Another difficulty that we had to tackle was to edit the footage so it fitted the 30 second criteria. This was hard because if something was removed we had to make sure that the rest of material flows and works well with one another. In the final production this would be tackled by clearly planning our filming. Therefore it was very important to create a detailed storyboard so we will know exactly how long each frame should hold for.

• In addition, another difficulty that we encountered was the process of saving the footage into a safe drive so we could access it later on. This was resolved by making a copy which was placed onto a USB and desktop. For final production this shouldn't be a problem because now we are confident in saving our footage.

What have you learned during the filming of this Preliminary Task?

This task allowed me to learn new skills. Some of this were acting and be responsible of the location that was used for the sequence of the Preliminary Task. This task allowed me to familiarize with my untalented role of acting  which is not easy as it looks. Also as I was responsible of the location, I was able to suggest the setting which was quite easy as it was in school. Furthermore, this task helped has to improve our team work and learn new skills like cooperating, team-work and support each other. This also strengthened our group bond, which will beneficial for when filming our product because it's important when working in a team to cooperate and stay focus on the task given.

What have you learned during the editing of this Preliminary Task?

During the editing stage I have learned how to develop the sequence that my group made. I have also improved the team work skills and communication as we were left to edit our own sequence by ourselves. During the editing we familiarize with the program 'Final Cut' and his features that it provides. This allowed us to have more knowledge and possibilities that we could use with our opening scene. The features that it provides as transition are fade to black, dissolve which we plan to use with our future opening. Moreover, this task allowed to make familiarisation with the program. I realized that the program is not that difficult but very time consuming. Lastly, we have the process of editing and it's function.

Conclusion:

In closure, after completing this Preliminary Task I am more aware of my skills, strengths and weaknesses. This helped us to prepare for the real process making, and role giving. My strengths were that I was able to suggest ideas for the location and the narrative of the sequence. Whereas, my weakness were that the editing was quite challenging at the beginning as I wasn't to familiar with the program, but I will try to acquaint some further knowledge from members of group. Additionally, the task has given us an idea of the filming and editing process which was exciting as well as interesting. I also think that some role would change, for example Natalia will take the role of editing because she understood the program quickly and clearly.  Overall, I think the Preliminary Task was hugely beneficial as it assign the roles of each individuals without creating chaos while you will film the real product ending up with something unprofessional. I also have a much clearer view of what adjustment that may need to be made for the opening thriller as I am more aware of what I need to be careful while filming.