Final edit: AS Film Opening

AS Film Opening: "Revelation"


Below, I have placed the final edit for our AS film Opening:

Final Edit: Preliminary Task

The Final Edit


Below, I have placed the final edit that was uploaded once the editing process was complete.

Post Apocalyptic Evaluation - Question 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

In order to present Question 7, Jake and I recorded a video segment explaining our thoughts and answering the questions asked:

Post Apocalyptic Evaluation - Questions 4 & 5: Who would be the audience for your media product? And How did you attract your audience?

Who would be the audience for your media product?



Through past research into the audiences for post apocalyptic films, I was able to uncover that the highest gender of people that watched films of the post apocalyptic genre was Males. This included the groups of Males under the age of 18 and males over the age of 45. However, it was shown that that people between the ages of 18-29 were the most likely to watch post apocalyptic films, and so these were one of our main target audiences, as shown below.

However, due to the fact that the actors in our film opening were of the ages 16 - 17, we felt that audiences of this age and younger would also be able to sympathise with and relate to the characters in the opening.

How did you attract your audience?

There were many ways in which we attempted to attract our target audience to our film.

Firstly, we ensured that we were using actors of a younger age that younger audiences would be able to relate to in an attempt to show these kinds of audiences what life in a post apocalyptic setting could potentially entail (e.g. survival, loneliness etc.)

As well as this, the clothing that our actors were dressed in was shown to be modern at the same time as being ragged and dirty. Skinny fitting jeans and joggers as well as lightweight parkas and boots were used to relate to the modern styles of fashion but at the same time, reminding the audience that our characters are rugged and dirty; have had to survive in dangerous habitats and have had to fight for their own survival.

The ethnicity of our characters being White British also meant that audiences of this same ethnicity would be able to relate to the characters on a different psychological level in comparison to those of a different ethnic group.

Post Apocalyptic Evaluation - Question 3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

In order to address Question 3,

I have created the powerpoint as shown below:

Post Apocalyptic Evaluation - Question 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In order to present Question 2,

I have created the presentation show below:

Post Apocalyptic Evaluation - Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms or conventions of real media products?

Evaluation Question 1:

Post Apocalyptic Planning: Storyboard

This is the general idea of the film opening that we wish to create in the form of an animated storyboard.

Post Apocalyptic Planning: Lighting

For the piece, we required a range of different types of lighting. For example, we required a consistently lighted area throughout.

In order to achieve this, we planned to use one member of the groups shed that had bright lights that were already built into the building itself.



This would give us a consistently bright setup of lighting that meant that the light between scenes did not differ

As well as this, we used the natural lighting from the outside to aid the lighting within each of the indoor scenes.

Post Apocalyptic Planning: Mise en Scene and Props

For the opening, we require numerous types of Mise en Scene for different scenes within the piece.

The Wooden Cabin Scene:

For all of the shots within the wooden cabin, we require the Mise en Scene to be fairly sparse to show to the audience that this is not a planned visit for the Protagonist and that he did not plan to be awakening in this location. To put this idea across to the audience, we want the colours and props within the scene to be sparse but related to the character (e.g. the characters walking staff and rucksack etc.)



Props:

The Protagonist required certain props to show to the audience that he had been surviving in this post apocalyptic world for a lengthy amount of time. In order to do this, we came up with the idea to add a walking staff to his costume design along with a rucksack. We wanted the walking staff to suggest to the viewer that this character ventures around the landscape, constantly searching for other survivors and new places to set up camp.





We wanted the rucksack to suggest to the viewer that this survivor has been, again, surviving for a lengthy amount of time and has collected numerous items along his travels. As well as this we wished to suggest that the character themselves feels as if they need this rucksack in case of any important objects becoming a necessity for his survival.

Post Apocalyptic Planning: Final Constumes

For the opening, we came up with final designs for the costumes that both characters will be wearing.

I have shown these below:

The Protagonist (Joey):



"The Mysterious Man":

Post Apocalyptic Planning: Make Up

For the film, we required Jake, our main character, to have a sort of "dirty, rugged" look about him. For this, we needed to use different types of dark coloured make up to give his character this "Survivor" look.



In the end, we resulted with this final "dirty" look that we felt properly emphasised the idea of this character surviving every day in harsh conditions that often leave him rugged and dirty.

Post Apocalyptic Planning: Locations

The wooden cabin

For the piece that we will be creating, we require a "wooden cabin" type building to shoot the majority of the shots in. This "wooden cabin" is going to be the location in which the Protagonist wakes up and is met by a mysterious character who seems to have brought him there.

We have chosen the location we are going to use for this scene.

We will be shooting these scenes in the Wooden Cabin in the back garden of one of the members of our group.



We felt that this location was perfect for what we wanted to shoot as it showcased the homely elements of the wooden cabin but still kept the mystery of the location due to the bland colourings of the walls and the emptiness of the scene itself.

(Dartboard was removed from the scene whilst shooting as it went against the mise en scene that we required)

Barren Fields / Forests





For the opening, we also required barren fields and forested areas. For this, we chose certain public parks such as Brierly Park as we felt that the forests and fields there, along with the conditions brought on by the weather, would be perfect for shooting in order to make the scene look empty and abandoned.



As shown by Google maps, Brierly Forest park is made up of fields and forested areas that are perfect for us to shoot various scenes of the opening in.

Post Apocalyptic Planning: Progress of Script Writing

For the piece that we are creating, we require scripts for the different sections of the opening; inside the flashback and outside of it.

Below, I have posted the rough idea of the script that will we use as a guideline within the piece in accordance to dialogue.

First scene in the wooden cabin:

(Jake awakens and begins to search around the room he is in in confusion but appears to be injured, he lies back onto the table that he woke on and rests)

(Mysterious character enters the room)

Mysterious character: Ah, so you're finally awake, I've been waiting for you.

Joey: (confused) Where am I? Who are you?

Mysterious Character: (Not paying attention to Joey at all (messing around in a draw etc.)) That will all become clear soon, but first, I'd like to know what you can remember.

Joey: What I can remember? I can remember the apocalypse like it was yesterday, explosions, quakes, the whole thing. I was so scared, my family...

(Looks blank for a second in thought)

Joey: I was lucky to get into the bunker when I could, three days we were in there waiting for everything to calm down. So many people died in there...

(Close up on Jakes face)

- Enter Flashback -

Flashback:

Joey: For the past three months I believe; I've been doing my best to survive; I've been doing my best to search for survivors, to search for an explanation as to why this all happened. I've been searching for help. Its been so hard, but what made it harder was that one day, the last day I remember, I felt like I was being constantly followed. Anytime I turned to look for what was following me though, there was never anything.

(Close up on Joey by the fire)

Joey: Then that night, I was settling down to rest for the night and I heard a rustling in the bushes behind me and then from there, I don't remember anything, its all black.

(A bag goes over Joeys head and the scene fades to black)

- Exits Flashback -

Post Flashback:

(Fades back in to a close up on Joeys face)

Joey: (Slightly angered) And then the next thing I know,  I wake up here with some random geezer asking me questions. You still haven't answered my question, who the hell are you and why am I here?

Mysterious Character: I think it's time I explained this whole thing to you. Come with me.

(Both characters exit the room)

- Scene End -



Post Apocalyptic Planning: Film Opening Pitch

We presented our pitch to a group of an idea and were given feedback and extra ideas that we could use within the piece. The video of this is shown below.



Post Apocalyptic Planning: Costume planning for Opening

For the piece that we are going to create, it is crucial that we have costumes that fit the characters within the opening.

There are to be two main characters within the opening that are both surviving within this post apocalyptic world but are part of different groups and we wish to make this apparent within their clothing.

The "real" main character is going to be an lone survivor who has been searching for the past few months for other survivors or someone who can explain as to why the apocalypse happened.

We want to dress this character in more green and brown colours of clothing that will show that he has had to keep himself hidden within different environments just in case he is not alone.

He will be dressed in:

- Some form of hat

- Some form of jacket (Thick parka / Army Jacket)

-Dark coloured trousers

- Heavy-wearing boots

- A rucksack

- A walking staff or stick (optional)

I have placed a rough idea of what the characters clothing will look like below.

The more "mysterious" character will be dressed in the same sort of colours to show that he too has been trying to keep hidden within the environment when required.

However, we wish to dress this second character in lighter clothing to show to the audience that, as the storyline suggests, he is part of a separate group of survivors that are working together to find other survivors etc. and this requires him to move around more frequently and quickly and so he needs lighter clothing.

We plan to dress this character in:

- A long, lightweight parka (not shown in example)

- dark shirt or t-shirt

- Dark trousers

- Heavy - wearing boots

Below, once again, I have placed a rough example of what this character will be dressed like.

Post Apocalyptic Planning: Weather forecasts for the Filming Day

We have planned to begin, and hopefully conclude, filming on Sunday 16th November and so I require to research into the weather forecasts for that day to prepare for the weather that we are faced with.

The weather forecast given by (http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/gcrn5r3ub#?fcTime=1416009600) has shown the below results:

This shows that the weather on the day that we plan to film on is going to consist of rainy weather.

I believe that this will add to the idea in the film that the worlds weather systems are slightly out of sync in relation to how they used to be.

This also shows me that the sun will be setting at 16:09, meaning that we will be able to film any scenes that require dark conditions at an earlier time which will allow our filming to be an efficient process that we can carry out at a relatively fast pace, whilst also ensuring that we have all the shots that we require.

Post Apocalyptic Planning: Sound design and soundtracks

Within the opening that we plan to create, we will require different forms of sound that will need to be non-copyright. In order to do this, we may use some forms of Foley sound as well as researching into non-copyright soundtracks.

Sound effects

For the piece, we require a sort of bass sound to hit as the main title screen for the film is shown. I have researched into different ways of making bass sounds and have come up with a couple of ideas that we could use.

Vocal Creation of a bass sound

One way in which we could create this bass sound is by having a member of our group physically make a deep "boom" type sound into a microphone and use editing software in order to manipulate it to perfection.

Using a bass drum

A second way of creating this sound would be by simply using a bass drum and recording the sound it makes to place into our piece.

Soundtracks

For the piece, we require a soundtrack that suggests to the viewers that the world is almost "empty" and "mysterious", despite the fact that it is the same world that they have always lived in. Below I have posted a selection of these tracks:



I have chosen Far Out Man - Jingle Punks as the soundtrack that is most likely to be used within our opening. I feel it is the most perfect of the three tracks that we found and will fit perfectly within the storyline of our piece.

Post Apocalyptic Planning: Photographic documentation of actors

Characters

Name: Jake Brough
Character Name: Joey
Age: 16
Character Age: 18
Short character profile: Brave; survivor; world-wise; confused about his surroundings; memory is sparse.

Name: Sam Claxton
Character Name: Mysterious Man
Age: 16
Character Age: 18
Short character profile: Part of survival group, appears to be the figure head (or some form of important member) for this group; concerned for the survivor he appears to have captured; wishes to utilise the protagonist and the skills that he has within his own group of survivors.

Post Apocalyptic Planning: Moodboard of our Opening

I have put together a moodboard that showcases different elements of our film. This is shown below:

I have shown on the moodboard a selection of words that relate to the piece we are hoping to produce.

- Confusion: Our main protagonist is going to be a survivor of the apocalypse that has awoken in a new, mysterious location and is going to be confused by his surroundings and the injury that he has.

- Survival: Shots of the protagonist surviving across the devastated land will be shown throughout our piece and it will be made clear to the audience that this protagonist is good at the surviving that he does.

- Loneliness: We are going to make it clear to the audience that this protagonist is lonely in this world and has lost all family and friends.

- Bravery: This loss of family and friends and the will to carry on surviving will show to the audience that there is a huge sense of bravery within this character.

- Distress: The loss of the protagonists family as well as waking up in this mysterious location will cause the protagonist distress.

- Natural Disaster: It is going to be made clear that the apocalypse has occurred due to natural disaster.

I have also used different photographs within my moodboard in order to show different elements of the opening.

- Barren fields: Barren fields and abandoned areas are some of the locations in which we are going to be utilising within the piece.

- Volcanoes, floods etc.: These are the spontaneous forms of Natural Disaster that were repeatedly occurring that managed to wipe out the population.

- Lightweight Parka - This is what the "Mysterious Character", who will enter the room and question the protagonists memory, will be wearing, to show that he has also been surviving but is attempting to dress lightly so that he is able to escape any danger if needs be.

- Forested area: This is the final location of the piece, the protagonist will be setting up a fire to settle down for the night when he will be captured.

- Rucksack: As he is surviving, the protagonist will be carrying a rucksack that contains his essentials for survival.

- Campfire: The protagonist will be setting up a fire at the pivotal point within the film when he is captured by this mysterious group.

- Heavy duty boots: These will be worn by characters in order to emphasise the idea of hard-wearing clothing that is required to keep surviving throughout any condition.

- Walking staff: The protagonist will be shown to have one of these in order to help him walk through any terrain and to be used as a weapon when needs be.