Evaluation: Foundation Portfolio
Opening Sequence
By Zulaikha Khan
Vengeance
I decided to do a video based production in which the task was to produce the opening sequence of a film. In order to this we had to work in groups; I worked with two others, Ruby Chaudhry and Fatima Adam. All the work we did throughout the project was split between the three of us. We all attempted to make an equal contribution to the work and help one another in difficult situations.
Below is a list of other things during production that each one of us did:
Zulaikha Khan (myself) – Research, storyline, Directing, Shooting the footage, Props, lighting, editing, costume
Fatima Adam – research, storyline, Directing, props, lighting, editing, costume, acting
Ruby Chaudhry – research, storyline, directing, props, lighting, music, costumes, acting
We had to plan, prepare, shoot and edit the opening two minutes of a new film. We decided to do a horror/psychological thriller genre that of which we were aware that to create a powerful sequence there must be substantial enigmas. We also wanted to create a narrative that would make the audience continue watching the rest of the film. In order to create suspense and tension there must be unanswered questions which are later resolved. However, before we could put together the idea for our opening sequence we felt that it was vital for us to consider the audience we were going to aim our film towards. We chose a wide and very popular target audience of both genders from ages 15 – 35. This age range is more likely to enjoy horror/thriller films and also visit the cinema at a regular basis. We also tested this audience in our questionnaire and asked whether the sequence appealed to them and majority of the responses stated that it did appeal to them. Others enjoyed the sequence but were not fond of horror films and therefore would not watch this in cinemas.
In order to help us create a good sequence we researched several things which could help stimulus our sequence. We looked at opening sequences of other movies; we looked at blockbuster statistics, typical props and settings in thriller movies and many other things. We also carried out a questionnaire at the end to test our product and to see what the potential audience think about the final result. The feedback showed us what the strengths and weaknesses were about our sequence and how it could be improved. By testing our product it gives us an idea whether the film would be a success if in real production.
Research made a great impact in helping us create a good, strong opening sequence as well as helping us realise that to create a feeling of authenticity it was important to include the specific conventions that are normally associated with such genre.
Horror films and thriller films often contain similar codes and conventions that are there to make the audience aware of what they are watching. This genre attempts to draw out fear and anxiety from the audience by putting together some of the most bizarre and gruesome supernatural situations. Majority of media texts that are of this particular genre tend to hold the
same conventions which are portrayed through the narrative in order to set the theme and also to outline what may be important aspects of the film. These codes and conventions are very important in films as well as other media texts as they inform the audience of what to expect from the film. The main and obvious convention of such a genre would be that there is always a victim; possibly more than one. Another convention that instantly gives the fee
l of the genre is blood and weapons. These are by far the most common things shown in horror and thriller films. These things were used by us in the production of our opening sequence. The sequence began with a shot of blood dropping of the work table and then shots of weapons such as blades and scissors covered in blood. These instantly showed our audience that our film was of the horror/thriller genre. The victim tied up under the table also informed the audience of what the film was based on. The type of dramatic eerie music also helps to portray the genre as it is very sinister and sounds threatening to the human ear. The music indicates that something is about to occur and falls in place with the 
pace of shots very effectively. As the action in the scene changes so does the music; this helps create a flowing theatrical feeling and engages the audience to the act. The shadowy dark lighting represents evil and menace in the air which helps create the horror/thriller theme. Majority of films of such genres consist of dark gloomy lighting in order for them to create the daunting atmosphere. When carrying out our questionnaire to test the product we asked the audience whether the genre was portrayed well and what they thought the genre was. 100% of the participants were able to identify the genre correctly. The feedback showed that it was things such as the weapons, blood, eerie music, pace of the shots and type of shots that helped show this.
An important thing we had to consider was the social group we were going to present which was a murderer/kidnapper and victim. In order to ensure that our sequence was going to be bald and effective we had to come up with some different ideas for things such as costume, lighting, props and setting that would suit this group of representation. In our sequence we decided to use the garage of my home that is much like a workshop; this worked perfec
tly for our sequence as this was the place the victim was kept hostage and was able to create a tense and creepy atmosphere. The lighting we used was also very dark and shadowy to present a gloomy and scary effect which presents that there may be the battle of evil v good in this film. Another aspect that helped to represent this group was the props. The workshop was full of tools which were shown to be the slayers weapons that were covered in blood. To add greater impact on the shots of the victim we showed the victim tied up by her hands and used an extreme close up shot to emphasis this. We used different type of shots varyi
ng from close up shots of the victims face to medium shots of the villain entering the workshop. The shots used to show the victim emphasis on the victims vulnerability and weakness which goes along with the stereotypical victim characters. The victim is shown tied up under a table, frightened and scared and these are also emphasised by the way the light is reflected of the object. The audience feedback showed that the audience were instantly able to identify who the main character representations were in this sequence.
A very important thing in the construction of our sequence was using enigmas and building up tension and suspense. Without this the sequence would lack great effect and would not be able to set a good atmosphere and mood for the audience. One of the main ways we set this
sense of tension was using dramatic yet slow pace music to play alongside the scene. The non diegetic music that we chose started off as a very slow and eerie beat which then changed to a slightly up beat and more dramatic soundtrack when the victim was shown detained. This helped setting a scarce and tense feel in the audiences mind. The feedback from the audience also supports this as the tested participants felt that the music created a tense and frightening atmosphere. The lighting was another aspect which exposed a slightly tense feel. Another thing that helped towards setting the suspense and tension in our thriller/horror sequence was the pace of shots and the movement of the camera. 100% of our audience agreed that the pace of the sequence was right and helped create an intense feel. The editing of the sequence was a very important aspect in creating a good effect that would keep the audience watching.
In order to devise and construct this sequence the amount of modern technology used was great. We used ‘Imovie’ in order to edit of sequence. This enabled us to import, cut,
split and edit our sequence. The programme was very simple to use once we were familiarised with the controls; we were able to add effects like slow motion to our shots and also add transitions such as fade and dissolve. For example in the beginning of the sequence the scene fades in from black. During the scenes we used dissolves in order to make the shots flow freely from one to another. The programme also allowed us to add music which we also able to cut and edit. We merged in two different soundtracks for our sequence; when the scene changes to the close up of the victims face under the table the music changes. Such controls helped us to put together an effective sequence which could make a great impact on our audience. The internet played a large part in the preparation as majority of the research done was done online. We used websites such as YouTube, Box Office Mojo and other film sites to help gain statistics, ideas, and film reviews. One of the main and regular website used was www.blogger.com which we used to post all our research, planning and storyboards. We were able to embed video clips and sound clips that could help with our sequence. This allowed us to access our work and planning from wherever we were and each person from the group had access to the information. Other technology we used apart from camera equipment was editing programmes. This software helped us edit our sequences in order to make them look professional.
Looking back at when we started our production and the first preliminary task we did shows that we have made great improvement in video based productions. Compared to the preliminary task our opening sequence has a great use of different shots, creative lighting, effective colour and other elements that have been used to tell the story. Our first task was very dull and boring and didn’t consist of much energy or creativity; our opening sequence however consists of better use of sound and shadowy lighting, representation of character and also better use of layout. I strongly feel that through the 10 week as a group and individually I have been able to make improvements and have resulted in a great production.
In conclusion the finished sequence was very similar to the original idea that we put together although we did change a few things from our storyboard as we felt that we could improve them. For example in the storyboard we were going to show a silhouette of the sl
ayer but due to lighting difficulties we were not able to gain a dark enough silhouette. Therefore we decided not to show the slayers head as it would reveal who the person is and would lose effectiveness. On the positive side we were able to get the audience to feel frightened and tense through the pace of the shots, music and mise en scene. Overall I feel we managed to create a great sequence which was very effective and received very positive feedback.
Opening Sequence
By Zulaikha Khan
Vengeance
I decided to do a video based production in which the task was to produce the opening sequence of a film. In order to this we had to work in groups; I worked with two others, Ruby Chaudhry and Fatima Adam. All the work we did throughout the project was split between the three of us. We all attempted to make an equal contribution to the work and help one another in difficult situations.
Below is a list of other things during production that each one of us did:
Zulaikha Khan (myself) – Research, storyline, Directing, Shooting the footage, Props, lighting, editing, costume
Fatima Adam – research, storyline, Directing, props, lighting, editing, costume, acting
Ruby Chaudhry – research, storyline, directing, props, lighting, music, costumes, acting
We had to plan, prepare, shoot and edit the opening two minutes of a new film. We decided to do a horror/psychological thriller genre that of which we were aware that to create a powerful sequence there must be substantial enigmas. We also wanted to create a narrative that would make the audience continue watching the rest of the film. In order to create suspense and tension there must be unanswered questions which are later resolved. However, before we could put together the idea for our opening sequence we felt that it was vital for us to consider the audience we were going to aim our film towards. We chose a wide and very popular target audience of both genders from ages 15 – 35. This age range is more likely to enjoy horror/thriller films and also visit the cinema at a regular basis. We also tested this audience in our questionnaire and asked whether the sequence appealed to them and majority of the responses stated that it did appeal to them. Others enjoyed the sequence but were not fond of horror films and therefore would not watch this in cinemas.
In order to help us create a good sequence we researched several things which could help stimulus our sequence. We looked at opening sequences of other movies; we looked at blockbuster statistics, typical props and settings in thriller movies and many other things. We also carried out a questionnaire at the end to test our product and to see what the potential audience think about the final result. The feedback showed us what the strengths and weaknesses were about our sequence and how it could be improved. By testing our product it gives us an idea whether the film would be a success if in real production.
Research made a great impact in helping us create a good, strong opening sequence as well as helping us realise that to create a feeling of authenticity it was important to include the specific conventions that are normally associated with such genre.
Horror films and thriller films often contain similar codes and conventions that are there to make the audience aware of what they are watching. This genre attempts to draw out fear and anxiety from the audience by putting together some of the most bizarre and gruesome supernatural situations. Majority of media texts that are of this particular genre tend to hold the
same conventions which are portrayed through the narrative in order to set the theme and also to outline what may be important aspects of the film. These codes and conventions are very important in films as well as other media texts as they inform the audience of what to expect from the film. The main and obvious convention of such a genre would be that there is always a victim; possibly more than one. Another convention that instantly gives the fee
l of the genre is blood and weapons. These are by far the most common things shown in horror and thriller films. These things were used by us in the production of our opening sequence. The sequence began with a shot of blood dropping of the work table and then shots of weapons such as blades and scissors covered in blood. These instantly showed our audience that our film was of the horror/thriller genre. The victim tied up under the table also informed the audience of what the film was based on. The type of dramatic eerie music also helps to portray the genre as it is very sinister and sounds threatening to the human ear. The music indicates that something is about to occur and falls in place with the 
pace of shots very effectively. As the action in the scene changes so does the music; this helps create a flowing theatrical feeling and engages the audience to the act. The shadowy dark lighting represents evil and menace in the air which helps create the horror/thriller theme. Majority of films of such genres consist of dark gloomy lighting in order for them to create the daunting atmosphere. When carrying out our questionnaire to test the product we asked the audience whether the genre was portrayed well and what they thought the genre was. 100% of the participants were able to identify the genre correctly. The feedback showed that it was things such as the weapons, blood, eerie music, pace of the shots and type of shots that helped show this.An important thing we had to consider was the social group we were going to present which was a murderer/kidnapper and victim. In order to ensure that our sequence was going to be bald and effective we had to come up with some different ideas for things such as costume, lighting, props and setting that would suit this group of representation. In our sequence we decided to use the garage of my home that is much like a workshop; this worked perfec
tly for our sequence as this was the place the victim was kept hostage and was able to create a tense and creepy atmosphere. The lighting we used was also very dark and shadowy to present a gloomy and scary effect which presents that there may be the battle of evil v good in this film. Another aspect that helped to represent this group was the props. The workshop was full of tools which were shown to be the slayers weapons that were covered in blood. To add greater impact on the shots of the victim we showed the victim tied up by her hands and used an extreme close up shot to emphasis this. We used different type of shots varyi
ng from close up shots of the victims face to medium shots of the villain entering the workshop. The shots used to show the victim emphasis on the victims vulnerability and weakness which goes along with the stereotypical victim characters. The victim is shown tied up under a table, frightened and scared and these are also emphasised by the way the light is reflected of the object. The audience feedback showed that the audience were instantly able to identify who the main character representations were in this sequence.A very important thing in the construction of our sequence was using enigmas and building up tension and suspense. Without this the sequence would lack great effect and would not be able to set a good atmosphere and mood for the audience. One of the main ways we set this
sense of tension was using dramatic yet slow pace music to play alongside the scene. The non diegetic music that we chose started off as a very slow and eerie beat which then changed to a slightly up beat and more dramatic soundtrack when the victim was shown detained. This helped setting a scarce and tense feel in the audiences mind. The feedback from the audience also supports this as the tested participants felt that the music created a tense and frightening atmosphere. The lighting was another aspect which exposed a slightly tense feel. Another thing that helped towards setting the suspense and tension in our thriller/horror sequence was the pace of shots and the movement of the camera. 100% of our audience agreed that the pace of the sequence was right and helped create an intense feel. The editing of the sequence was a very important aspect in creating a good effect that would keep the audience watching.In order to devise and construct this sequence the amount of modern technology used was great. We used ‘Imovie’ in order to edit of sequence. This enabled us to import, cut,
split and edit our sequence. The programme was very simple to use once we were familiarised with the controls; we were able to add effects like slow motion to our shots and also add transitions such as fade and dissolve. For example in the beginning of the sequence the scene fades in from black. During the scenes we used dissolves in order to make the shots flow freely from one to another. The programme also allowed us to add music which we also able to cut and edit. We merged in two different soundtracks for our sequence; when the scene changes to the close up of the victims face under the table the music changes. Such controls helped us to put together an effective sequence which could make a great impact on our audience. The internet played a large part in the preparation as majority of the research done was done online. We used websites such as YouTube, Box Office Mojo and other film sites to help gain statistics, ideas, and film reviews. One of the main and regular website used was www.blogger.com which we used to post all our research, planning and storyboards. We were able to embed video clips and sound clips that could help with our sequence. This allowed us to access our work and planning from wherever we were and each person from the group had access to the information. Other technology we used apart from camera equipment was editing programmes. This software helped us edit our sequences in order to make them look professional.Looking back at when we started our production and the first preliminary task we did shows that we have made great improvement in video based productions. Compared to the preliminary task our opening sequence has a great use of different shots, creative lighting, effective colour and other elements that have been used to tell the story. Our first task was very dull and boring and didn’t consist of much energy or creativity; our opening sequence however consists of better use of sound and shadowy lighting, representation of character and also better use of layout. I strongly feel that through the 10 week as a group and individually I have been able to make improvements and have resulted in a great production.
In conclusion the finished sequence was very similar to the original idea that we put together although we did change a few things from our storyboard as we felt that we could improve them. For example in the storyboard we were going to show a silhouette of the sl
ayer but due to lighting difficulties we were not able to gain a dark enough silhouette. Therefore we decided not to show the slayers head as it would reveal who the person is and would lose effectiveness. On the positive side we were able to get the audience to feel frightened and tense through the pace of the shots, music and mise en scene. Overall I feel we managed to create a great sequence which was very effective and received very positive feedback.
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