Evaluation: Foundation Portfolio
Vengeance
By Ruby Chaudhry

I decided to do a video production in which our task was to produce an opening sequence of a movie. To carry out this task we had to work in groups. Alongside myself I worked with two others, Zulaikha Kahn and Fatima Adam. Throughout the project we all spilt our work between the three of us to make it an equal contribution and to help each other in tricky situations when carrying out the task. During the production each of us had our individual tasks that we had split up together. Every one of us did research for the 2 minute sequence and after having done that we posted it on the blog, http://www.blogger.com/.
Ruby Chaudhry (myself):- research, storyline, directing, props, lighting, music, costumes, acting
Zulaikha Khan (myself) – Research, storyline, Directing, Shooting the footage, Props, lighting, editing, costume
Fatima Adam – research, storyline, Directing, props, lighting, editing, costume, acting.
To carry out our task and in order to make it successful we first had to plan, prepare and shoot and edit our opening sequence which lasted 2 minutes 4 seconds. Together we decided to do a horror/psychological thriller genre. We were aware that to create a powerful sequence we had to use extensive enigmas in our sequence to form adrenaline and suspense. To make the audience want to watch further and build interest within the sequence we had to create a narrative to keep the audience involved and captivated. To do this we had to produce anticipation and unanswerable questions within the clip. On the other hand, before we could take a step further we had to decide what age range our target audience would be. We selected a wide age range from the ages 15-35. This is because the audience for such a genre would more likely to visit the cinema on a regular basis as well as this we felt that most teens and adults both enjoy popular genres like horrors and psychological thrillers. To make sure our choices here worked effectively for our audience we produced a questionnaire to state whether our opening sequence was approved or not, and our feedback was very positive and majority of our responses from our audience was that it did very well appeal to them. For a couple of people the genre did not appeal to them as they did not like horror movies and therefore would not watch such genres at the cinema.
To help build motivation and for us to make a really good successful opening sequence we researched a variety of different things such as, typical props, blockbuster statistics, settings in thriller movies, the costumes and we also researched the typical stereotypes of certain characters and how their acting is portrayed in certain genre types, this inspired us with a lot of ideas and innovations for our film clip. To check our overall strengths and weaknesses in our film clip we produced a questionnaire to see what the audience thought about the opening sequence and this would give us reassurance of whether it could be produced in real life production with either a British production company or a Hollywood distributor.

Our audience age range was 15-35; this is a potentially large mass audience to target. This is because I think this is the typical age variety where people go to the cinema to watch such genres, especially horror. Financially the product is right because box office hits considerably for horror and psychological thrillers are very high and a lot of profit is made towards this. Horror films in general are designed to scare and disgust viewers with evil characters, plots and events that can range from realistic to completely supernatural. However, the horror genre has been around for years with classics from Dracula and Frankenstein to modern day versions such as The Hills Have Eyes and The Ring. Since it is a very popular genre it is more likely to product financially. Young age groups are more eager to watch genres like this. Horror films often involve a complex set of codes and conventions this is important because it will give the audience the idea that they are watching a horror film. In most media texts, many of the codes and conventions shown within the narrative of the film are portrayed to an effect that will suggest important aspects of the film i.e. lead characters and their position for example, good or evil. This is important in informing the audience of what to expect of the film and give them an idea of the narrative structure or plot, which is very appealing as we want to see why these particular elements and themes are shown within the movie. One main important convention of a horror genre is a victim. There is always a victim in a horror movie to show sympathy and then hatred for the suspect. Another major core convention is blood and weaponry used. In the beginning of our opening sequence we shot the dripping of blood to create adrenaline and suspense, alongside this we shot several shots of weapons such as blades covered in blood. This creates a sense of enigma towards the audience and the fact that the victim was then shown tied beneath a table gives an instant feeling of sympathy. This instantly shows the audience what genre the film is based on. To prove this, we did a questionnaire and asked the audience what genre they thought our sequence was and 100% of the participants were able to identify the correct genre of our opening sequence. This positive feedback was shown because in the clip we used weapons, blood, slow motion editing, and creepy eerie music to make our genre convincing and seem what it is.

An important aspect which needed to be considered was the social group in which case for us it was the kidnapper or murderer and the victim. To make certain that our sequence was going to stand out and look effective we used we had to use our initiative and come up with a variety of different things such as:
Use of music
Sound
Lighting
Mise-en-scene
Particular shots
Editing style
Transitions
Editing pace
Effects applied
All these things were taken on board during our filming as these things were to help make our sequence what it is. To film the sequence we used Zulaikha’s garage at her home that very much looks like a workshop. It was the perfect setting for our opening sequence to be made. This was the ideal place for the victim to have been kept hostage and lighting was used to portray the victim clearly as well as the kidnapper as it enters the door. Dark lighting was used to create enigma and a tense and scary atmosphere within the garage workshop. The workshop table was covered with tools which were considered to be weapons; these tools were covered in blood and the side of the table was also dripping in blood. To create dynamic effect to the opening clip, they tied the victims hands (myself) to emphasise the fact that the victim was kept hostage and is trying to escape. The shots used to show this were extreme close ups of the hands and face to show the misery of the victim.

Another important factor we had to use were enigmas to create suspense and dramatic tension. I think without this the whole opening sequence wouldn’t have its originality and would lack a great deal of effect for the audience. To create some more dramatic attention, we used slow pace music in the beginning and then later on we used a tiny bit more of an upbeat sound to create adrenaline for the viewers. We used slow motion in our shots to build that suspense and enigma. The editing was the main aspect when creating the final sequence this made the whole sequence the way it is, as the non diagetic sounds were used we used editing to control the pace of the shots and sounds. The feedback from the audience was very positive as they said thy felt frightened and they knew what the conventions of the genre this also created an intense feel for the audience.
To assemble our sequence we used modern recording equipment to film our sequence and the technology used to help research our product was the internet, this played a big part in our research and as well as this we also posted our blog on the net to. We also used You Tube as a source of research and Box Office websites to help us research the statistics and also to get reviews from other famous horror films that have been made. The blog is where we posted all our research, it was a form of a diary and each one of us as a group posted our own individual tasks that we have completed. We also posted pictures and video clips and put up research that we did as a group as well.

Taking a look back from where we had all begun, at the start from the moment we filmed our first preliminary task. I think as a whole I have improved very well and as a group we’ve learnt so much and using the DTP software I have learnt how to edit film sequences to make them look unique and original as well as making them look more like the sequence which belongs to a part of a real box office film. We have used much more dynamic effects and sounds to make the opening clip more interesting, which in contrast the preliminary task was very dull because we did not use any sound effects or shots to make it look or seem dynamic. I strongly feel that I have improved a lot over the past 10 weeks during the time I have used over my coursework and I have learnt a lot and created a lot since then by using the technology and knowledge that I gained throughout this period.

To conclude, the finishing sequence was up to our standards and we tried our best to come up with the best of ideas to produce a fantastic opening sequence. However we did change a few ideas in the storyboard only to improve our clip and in some other parts when filming our sequence we did come across a small problem where we were not able to get the lighting correct, this is because we needed a dark shadowy silhouetted figure but unfortunately we could not gain that effect due to the lighting in the garage. We also decided as a group not to show the kidnappers/murder’s head only to create more enigma and suspense and more effectiveness in the sequence as a whole. On the other hand, we did get a positive feedback from the audience as we were able to get the audience scared and make them feel as if they were really watching a real horror/psychological movie. I believe that the three of us managed to produce a fine opening sequence in which case we also received an immense positive feedback from the audience too.

Evaluation

Evaluation of an opening sequence
By Fatima Adam
Vengeance

The project was to shoot and edit a two minute opening sequence including the titles, the genre we chose for our group production was thriller, we chose this because we thought it was a very intense and dramatic genre and it would keep the audience hooked. We worked in a group of three, we decided that the best way to produce a great opening sequence is to share the work equally and compromise with one another. My job entailed producing, editing, acting, putting together the storyline, helping with the props lighting and costumes, Zulaikha Khan was the Director, she also did the editing, storyline, shooting the footage of the props and lighting and costume, Ruby Chaudhry also collaborated with the storyline, props, lighting costumes and choose the Music. We created two opening sequences, one of which was a preliminary task which we carried out to understand the concept of filming and editing etc. Our main video took a lot of effort and time to put together we called it ‘Vengeance’ we were able to complete it on time and our final product lasted two minutes which was recommended. The audience feedback we got back for the what media language creates tension? :

• the music and mis en scene
• Slow motion
• Sound music and editing
• The dark lighting and creepy location
• Slow motion

Our sequence is related to a horror/psychological thriller; generally, thrillers focus on plot over character, and thus emphasize intense, physical action over the character's psyche. Psychological thrillers tend to reverse this formula to a certain degree, emphasizing the characters just as much, if not more so, than the plot. We chose this genre because the suspense created by psychological thrillers often comes from two or more characters preying upon one another's minds, either by playing deceptive games with the other or by merely trying to demolish the other's mental state therefore we found this very interesting and agreed to choose this as the genre for the sequence .the psychotic individual and the victim are the main characters in this sequence as it is evident in the opening sequence. The audience are able to recognise this with the props that are used at the beginning of the opening sequence and the blood shows that before this victim there was another that was killed, which emphasises on the fact that it is a psychotic killer. And the reason we used the dismal location and dull lighting with the tense music was to stress the importance of the genre.
Thriller and suspense films are types of films that endorse intense excitement, suspense, uncertainty anxiety and a high level of anticipation. The main purpose of a thriller film is to keep the audience hanging. Characters in thrillers include convicts, criminals, stalkers, assassins, down-on-their-luck losers, innocent victims (often on the run), prison inmates, menaced women, characters with dark pasts, psychotic individuals, terrorists, cops and escaped convicts, fugitives. The type of people that are represented in our sequence is psychotic individuals and victims, the appearance of both the psychotic individual and victims separate them from each other and make it obvious to the audience as to which is which, furthermore the actions made by each character also helps portray their character better but overall the body language best describes who they really are. Our opening sequence is set in the criminals garage the house is dismal which helps create dull lighting and the blood on the tools also emphasise the genre. This fits with the dominant mode of representing the group which adheres to the stereotypes that we see commonly in the media.
The perfect audience for our opening sequence would be as of a wide range of ages from 15 and above, this would be because the genre of the film is psychological thriller, and however it will not be suitable for children below the ages of 15 as it would contain explicit images such as violence. Furthermore the audience for this film is a potentially large mass audience because it is able to interest a lot of people and keep them hooked. This group of audience is just right for the product financially; because it is a wide group of an audience therefore many of them would go to see the film. This is the perfect audience because teenagers spend most of their time at the movies; men also enjoy watching psychotic thriller films with the blood and murders etc. Therefore this sequence is open to all ages above 15. However I would say that the main target audience for psychological thriller films would be the male population from the age of 16-40yrs. Mainly the reason this genre attracts peoples attention is the suspense and anticipation that everything will go right in the end however in some films it makes people feel they are in the characters position. Overall we received positive feedback from our questionnaires this showed us that our product was a good opening sequence. It was clear to the audience as they were able to recognise the genre. One of the questions that was used in the questionnaire was;

What genres can you see? How has the media language established the genres?
These were the responses we got
Horror / scary music and weapons portray this
Horror / Thriller / slow clips. scary music
Horror/ slow potion, blood / distorted shots
Horror / thriller
horror / the extreme close ups n the blood
horror / blood knifes / maybe drama based on real life event such as hostages
The use of the location was dull and gloomy this was used to remind the audience that the sequence is a psychological thriller and therefore there would be no content moments in this sequence. The shots were in a chronological sequence and were put together in the final production with invisible transitions which was used to create realism also known as verisimilitude this means it allows the audience to enter the world of the story. The music and the lighting both create enigmas of the sequence; they are the main features which help extinguish the mystery. The dull lighting creates shadows and the music makes the audience think, and keep them on the edge of there seats thinking something may or may not jump out at them. In the sequence it is evident that the conflict is between the psychotic killer and the victim. We also used slow motion at some points when it was needed to emphasise the shot to show that something drastic was about to happen. Furthermore at the end when the victim gasps we edited this in order for it to stand out so it could make the audience jump out of their seats. We decided to use two types of music because as the first few shots focus on the props we decided to use a slow yet mysterious type of music, however for the second half we decided to use a more faster yet calm type of music to go with the pace of the ending. We had many dull shots but also used a light to create a silhouette to add tension and suspense, we mainly used close ups to bring them closer to the victim and make them aware of her situation. Furthermore when we edited the sequence we added a slow motion effect to it, we also changed the music as the action in the sequence changed.
I have learnt how to edit a film sequence and transfer the sequence from a video camera to the computer I have also learnt how to add music and other extras to it by using the technologies from the process of constructing this product. I learnt how to work a camera and during the filming I also learnt about the amount of shots that were needed to make the sequence, many shots are needed because of the different angles and shots. We were able to store our information and research on a blog which was used by all media students, moreover we were able to analyse videos from You Tube to understand the concept of psychological thriller film. For the editing we used the DTP software, with this we were able to choose the shots that we needed and put them together in order to get the sequence as we wanted it. Furthermore we were able to put the shots together with transitions such as fade and add effects such as dissolve etc. To record our sequences each group got a camcorder with a tripod and a cassette, we used the tripod for still and focused shots to make it look more professional. We also used a blog to store our research on this was called ‘blogger.com’ we were able to update it each time we did something new to our sequence and with the blog we are able to show or step by step production of our opening sequence ‘Vengeance’. In addition we used Microsoft word to make our questionnaire. Overall technology played a big role in helping us produce our sequence.
When looking back at my preliminary task I feel that our final piece was a great improvement and looked more effective, however from the first task I learnt a lot and was able to put that forward towards the final piece. The final piece was outstanding and to prove this the great feedback we received from our fellow classmates could establish this. In the final product we were able to add more effects, camera shots of the props and the girl, and a better location for the genre we used. The dull colour of the atmosphere would represent the genre and would remind the audience what the main purpose of the sequence is. The shots that we improved were the ones of the (bad guy) we decided that because it was just the opening sequence it would be better to leave it as a suspense so the audience would want to know who it is and what its motive is.
Finally I think we did well with our final product as we were able to complete it on time and edit it the way we wanted. We feel that we reached the standard we needed to get to and were able to see if it was entertaining enough asking other people. From this we got back most positive responses. However I do feel that if i was given another chance to make a sequence of a movie I would like to try out different genres just to compare the different types and see how the other genres would be filmed. Furthermore I definitely enjoyed making the sequence and have learnt a lot from the project and about teamwork. Even so the most important thing in a group is being able to interact with one another, sharing out the jobs equally, and contributing to the project equally, this way you can get things done quicker and more efficiently.

Evaluation

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 feel 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 perfectly 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 varying 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 slayer 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.

Questionnaire

Questionnaire

1.   How does the Opening sequence make you feel?

2.   What do you think the story line is?

3.   What genres can you see? How has the media language established the genres?

4.   Who were the main characters? And how was their role portrayed?

5.   What media language creates tension?

6.   What shots were most effective in the sequence?

7. Does the pace of the movie feel right?

8. What would make the audience keep watching?

9. What atmosphere has been created by the music?

10. How do you think our sequence could be improved?

11. Does this sequence appeal to you?

Feedback we were Given

1.

• scared
• scared but quite calm
• makes me want to watch more
• freaked out and scared
• scared / frightened
• sorry for the girl

2.

• torture/kidnap
• girl being beat up/tortured
• about a kidnapper/stalker
• someone has being kidnapped and tortured
• something about a girl being tortured by villain
• stalker / kidnapping / murder

3.

• Horror / scary music and weapons potray this
• Horror / Thriller / slow clips. scary music
• Horror/ slow potion, blood / distorted shots
• Horror / thriller
• horror / the extreme close ups n the blood
• horror / blood knifes  / maybe drama based on real life event such as hostages

4.

• Victim shown scared and vulnerable
• the girl who had been kidnapped / pictures of her
• a girl tied up scared
• victim - girl under table & villian
• the girl and the kidnapper
• the attacker and the victim

5.

• the  music and mise en scene
• slow motion
• sound/music and editing
• the dark lighting and creepy music
• slow motion shots
• music and close ups (on eyes)

6.

• the slow motion and distorted close ups
• close ups on eyes, door, and hands
• the girls face showing worry and fear
• the extreme close ups
• shots of victm crying and her tied up
• the pictures of the girl

7.

• yes
• yes
• yes
• yes it makes it intense
• yes
• yes the slow feel creates tension

8.

• to see what happens the girl
• the enigma of what is going to happen to her
• to see whether she gets killed and why she has been kidnapped
• nothing, i wanted to see what happened
• to find out what was going to happen to the girl
• the tension

9.

• scary tense
• a scary tense one
• scary fear creepy
• calm and scary
• tense
• a tense and frightening atmosphere

10.

• not sure
• it couldnt
• carrying it on
• use some fast pace shots
• maybe darker lighting in places
• nothing

11.

• yes
• yes
• yes even though i dont like scary films
• yes
• yes
• it is interesting but horror films do not really appeal to me

 

Overall, we received positive feedback from our questionnaire. With having done this questionnaire, this showed us that the opening sequence we produced was up to our standards as well as the audiences. The genre of the sequence was shown clearly and the audience recognised the horror genre immediately which is great. The story line given in our clip was not confusing so this shows that our opening sequence was easily understood and it grasped our audiences attention.  

Final Opening Sequence

Vengeance

This is our final opening sequence for our film 'Vengeance'. As a group we feel that we have done very well to get this final result although it has been a very lengthy process. A lot of time was spent planning, doing research, preparing for filming, editing and also putting the final touches to the sequence.

Our final opening sequence varied slightly to the storyboard we put together. As we edited the footage we found several ways in which we could improve our original idea. Shots were added, altered and also removed. 

Through this process we also came across several minor problems which we were able to overcome. These were mainly during the filming process such as getting correct lighting which would be effective enough in our sequence. However this was easily solved by using lamps and torches to provide shadowy lighting. Apart from the few minor setbacks, as a group we were able to work through these and gain great results. 

26/02/09 - 12/03/09Editing Our Opening Sequence

During this period of time the group has been editing the filmed footage for our opening sequence. We have been working on the shots, transitions, sound and effects. We have had to try several different soundtracks in order for it to fit with our sequence. We also had to try out several different shots in order for the sequence to flow and for them to fit.
The seqeunce now has nearly been completed.We only have to add the title credits to the sequence to gain our final result.

19.02.09 Filming Our Opening Sequence

The group got together today on the 19th of February in Zulaikha's home to film the footage for our opening sequence. This is a list of things we used in our sequence including characters, props and location.

Characters

• Villian - Fatima
• Victim - Ruby

Location

• Garage / workshop

Props

• Food colouring used as fake blood
• Tools - blades, screwdrivers, plyers etc...
• Spying Pictures of the victim
• Workshop Table
• Rope for hands
• Strong cloth to tie around mouth
• Side lamps

Costumes

• Victim - Plain dull dark coloured clothing
• Villian - Also dark coloured clothing - hoody

Storyboard for our opening sequence

Before we started filming we had to create a storyboard to follow. As a group we put together this storyboard for our opening sequence and this will hopefully help us when filming and give us an outline of which to work with.
This was our first draft storyboard

After looking at the first draft of our storyboard we looked at ways in which we can improve the shots in order to make them more appealing and affective towards our audience. These are some of the shots we have added and changed in our sequence. For example, the first four shots we have decided to use extreme close up shots in order to emphasis on the blood and brutality of the tools on the table. Little aspects of our opening sequence such as these, will make a great change on the overall affect and therefore we have chosen to alter a few things (which are shown in the storyboards below) in order to make our opening sequence more enhanced. 

Drawing by Zulaikha Khan

Film Editing

Film editing is an art of storytelling practiced by connecting two or more shots together to form a sequence, and the subsequent connecting of sequences to form an entire movie. Its the work of selecting and joining together shots to create a finished film. Film editing is the only art that is unique to cinema and which separates film making from all other art forms. Editing is the art, technique, and practice of assembling these shots into a consistent whole.A film editor works with the layers of

•  Images
•  Story
•  Music
•  Rhythm
•  Pace
•  Shapes
•  Actors Performances
•  Re-directing 
•  Re-writing the film during the editing process

Film editing can be used in various ways:

1.  It can create sensually provocative montages
2.  It can bring out the emotional truth in an actor's performance
3.  It can create a point of view on otherwise obtuse events
4.  It can guide the telling and pace of a story
5.  It can create the illusion of danger where there is none
6.  Surprise when we least expect it
7.  A vital subconscious emotional connection to the viewer.

A film editor is a person who practices film editing by assembling footage into a coherent film. Film editors often are responsible for pulling together all of the elements of story, dialogue, music, sound effects, visual effects, rhythm and pace of a film. 

There are various types of editing used in film making to make the film look more effective and realistic, cuts and transitions and other different types of editing techniques are used in films to make it look original.  The different types of film editing techniques are:

Cut 

A visual transition created in editing in which one shot is instantly replaced on screen by another.

Cross cutting
Cutting back and forth quickly between two or more lines of action, indicating they are happening simultaneously.

Dissolve 
A gradual scene transition. The editor overlaps the end of one shot with the beginning of the next one.

Establishing shot 
A shot, normally taken from a great distance or from a "bird's eye view," that establishes where the action is about to occur.

Fade 
A visual transition between shots or scenes that appears on screen as a brief interval with no picture. The editor fades one shot to black and then fades in the next. Often used to indicate a change in time and place.

Wipe 
Visible on screen as a bar travelling across the frame pushing one shot off and pulling the next shot into place.

Final cut 

The finished edit of a film, approved by the director and the producer. This is what the audience sees.

Famous Directors

A film director or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a film. A film director visualizes the script, controlling a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of his or her vision. A film director is responsible for overseeing creative aspects of a film. They often develop the vision for a film and carry out , deciding how the film should look. They also direct which tone it should have and what the audience should gain from the cinematic experience . Directing a film is a kind of storytelling. Film directors are responsible for approving camera angles, lens effects, lighting, and set design, and will often take part in hiring key crew members. They coordinate the actors' moves and also may be involved in the writing, financing and editing of a film.

The greatest FILM DIRECTORS of all time are:

• Mel Brooks
• Steven Spielberg
• George Lucas
• Peter Jackson

Mel Brooks- was born on june 28, 1926 in brooklyn New York. His name was Mclvin Kaminsky. He is a actor, writer, comedian, and a producer. He received many awards for his films. In 1963 he received an Oscar for best animated short; The Critic. In 1966 an Emmy for outstanding writing achievement in variety, The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris special. In 1968 he won an Oscar for best screenplay in The Producers. In 1997, 1998, and 1999 he gained an Emmy for outstanding guest actor for Mad About You. In 1999 he received a Grammy for best spoken comedy album for The 2000 Year Old Man In The Year 2000. His latest award in 2001 was a Tony for the best musical for The Producers. Mel Brooks has truly had a great career.

Steven Spielberg- Steven Spielberg was born on December 18th 1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio. His mother was Leah Adler, and his father was Arnold Spielberg. Steven is also a screenwriter and producer. In 2008, the magazine Premiere listed him as the most powerful and influential figure in the Motion picture industry. In a career of over four decades, Spielberg's film have touched on many themes and genres. Spielberg's early sci-fi and adventure films, sometimes centering on children, were seen as an archetype of modern Hollywood blockbuster filmamking. In later years his movies began addressing such as the Holocaust, slavery, war and terrorism . Speilberg won the academy Award for Best Director for 1993's Schindler's List and 1998's Saving Private Ryan. Three of Spielberg's films, Jaws(1975), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and Jurrasic Park (1993), broke the box office records, each becoming the highest- grossing film made at the time. To date, unadjusted gross of all Spielberg directed film exceeds $8.5 billion worldwide.

George lucas- George Walton lucas was born on May 14th 1944. He is an Academy Award-nominated American film director, producer, screenwriter and chairman of Lucas film Ltd. He is best known for being the creator of the epic Sci-Fi franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist adventurer character Indiana Jones. Lucas is one of the American film industry's most financially successful independent directors/producers, with an estimated net worth of $3.9. billion.

Peter Jackson- Peter Robert Jackson was on born 31 October 1961 and is a three time Academy Award winning New Zealand filmmaker, producer and screenwriter, best known for The Lord of the Rings trilogyadapted from the novel by J. R. Tolkien. He is also known for his 2005 remake of King Kong. He won international early in his career with his "slapstick" horror comedies, before coming to mainstream prominence with Heavenly Creatures, for which he shared an Academy Award best screenplay nomination with his partner Fran Walsh.

Camera shots

The framing of the shot creates what we see on the screen. Choices about the framing of a shot change the shots meaning. Sometimes it is important to frame a shot from the different heights to change the audience's perspective on the material. The camera could be positioned close to the floor, shooting straight-on to give the impression of a low height. Perhaps this would be used to signify the view of a child or small creature. Furthermore changing the camera distance supplies a sense of us being close to or far away from the material of the shot. the standard measure of camera distance is the scale of the human body.


Extreme Wide Shot
The extreme wide shot, the view is so far from the subject that she isn't even visible. The point of this shot is to show the subject's surroundings. The Extreme wide shot is often used as an "establishing shot" the first shot of a new scene, designed to show the audience where the action is taking place.


Long Shot
A shot that shows a character at a distance, spanning their whole height but leaning an area above and below them. this focuses the audience's attention on the character and their surroundings.


Medium Shot
Also known as a mid shot, this shows a character from the knees or waist up or full length seated figure. Most effective for showing the interplay between two characters and bridging the gap between a wide shot and a close-up. This shot can also be adapted to a medium long shot or a medium close-up.


Close-up
Used to show extreme detail or facial expressions. A character is framed from jus beneath the shoulders with space left above the head. This shot is effecitve for showing an audience a character's emotions and reactions because it focuses their concentraion on only one thing on the screen.


Extreme Close up
This shows only part of the head, the area from the lips to the eyes, and is often used for highly emotional shots to increase dramatic effect.


Over the shoulder shot
A shot made from over the shoulder of a character, focusing on what he or she is seeing.



Point of view shot
Seen from the character's point of view