Meeting 26th of January: Deciding the idea

In todays meeting with my group we tried to decide what idea we should do. The two ideas are 'The local Priest' which is Pablo's idea, and then there is Cornelius's idea called Family Function. We where informed that both ideas are doable so now its just down to what we like the best. We talked about more details about each one and we decided we should vote on it tomorrow. 

Meeting: 25th of January: Further discussing about Ideas

In todays group meeting we discussed about Pablo's idea and the previous idea of Cornelius's 'Family Function' which we had previously settled on. After listening through Pablo's idea for a second time, I thought it was in my opinion a better sequence to film, this might be partly due to it being a thriller and the 'Family Function' being a comedy. Tom who is an old alumni of Hurtwood and is a camera operator listened to both of these idea's and he said both of these are doable and that all we had to do now was to decide which one to do. He said that he liked the Priest idea more though over the 'Family Function'. With the group having a keen idea on what we want to do, hopefully tomorrow we will decide on it.

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It todays session we had a breakthrough in two of our decisions. Pablo and I thought that we should go back on his idea, as in our previous session we had agreed on Cornelius's idea. But upon rereading Pablo's story, I have decided it would be more interesting to make his idea about a Priest.  

Cornelius wasn't too keen on this quick turn of events, we could tell this by the fact that he looked sad. We reassured him though that this wasn't our final decision and he looked a tiny bit better. 

Tom who is an old alumni of Hurtwood and is a camera operator listened to both the idea's and he said cheerfully that they are both possible and all we had to do now was pick which one we wanted to make by next week. Knowing this information, we eagerly got back to work and argued in a friendly way on what the best option was for us. We have yet to decide but I think Pablo's idea is the best,

First Camera session

 In Friday's session, we started filming on the Blackmagic URSA mini. We got split into groups and we where instructed to film a simple shot of someone doing a simple thing. In this instance, we filmed someone tie their shoe laces. We filmed the scene around 5 times at different camera angles. We used the 180 degrees rule to place the camera around the actor. We had a wide shot, a close up shot, a side shot and a low close up shot. 

In next week's session we will be editing this to make it look fluent and into a scene that could be in a film. 

Getting Started With the Camera

In todays session we went down to the studio to learn about the camera and accessories we will be using to film our opening title sequences. 

Although I have used Cameras and Tripods in the past, I have learnt several things today that I will share with you in this blog post. 

The camera we used was a BlackMagic camera with a Nikon lens. To start off the lesson we had to get all the equipment out from their different bags. Once the tripod was out from the bag, we were told the easiest method for using the tripod is to unclip the bottom legs of the tripod first, as it will be easier down the line if you want to bring it even higher. Once the tripod was around the same height as my waist, we worked out that the front of the camera is where the spirit level was located. Knowing this information, we could fasten the tripod handle to the right side of the tripod. In order to fasten it you just had to turn it into place until it was fastened tight. The spirit level is a very useful tool that helps the camera become level, ensuring the footage isn't wonky. 

We soon found out that the camera is very heavy and expensive so we learnt about the 'mine''yours' rule. The rule basically means that when you're passing expensive equipment like the camera, you say yours and the person you're giving it too says mine. Only when the person says mine is when you can let go. This is a very useful rule as you don't want to be breaking any equipment 👍🏻. 

When you remove the lens cap, it is a smart idea to put it back into the bag and not into your pocket. Placing it into your pocket might result in your forgetting to put it back on, increasing the risk of breaking the equipment. 

The camera doesn't have an internal battery, so the battery just slides on into the back of the camera.

There is a camera mount on the camera, so all you need to do to fasten the camera onto the tripod is to slide the camera into place whilst holding down a button on the left side, after the camera is in place you fasten it by turn the switch on the right side. If there is a metal part hanging out on the mount, then all you need to do is slide it inside. You need to be careful about the camera falling off as a result of you not fastening it. And when you take it off, you need to be careful the lens doesn't smash into the tripod as a result of the camera having an off centre level of gravity. 

The Nikon lens has 2 twisty things, the end one manages zoom and the one closest to the camera manages focusing. We were taught that if you want to focus for a shot, you can zoom in to the object, in the case that it is a person, you zoom into their eye. Then you focus onto them to ensure everything is sharp, then you zoom out to the shot you want to capture. 

White balancing is used to ensure the video you are filming has the correct lighting conditions in it. As there are loads of different light types, colours appear different in different conditions. So by changing the White balance it can help you get the correct lighting. So for example as we where inside it is appropriate to use a white balance at around 3000k. But if we where shooting outside then filming at 6000 to 8000k would suit better. 

Exposure determines how much light is let into the camera. The dial to change exposure is right next to the lens removal button. It is blue and it can be very tough to turn. You need to pinch it with force to do it affectively. 

We then learn how to effectively dismantle everything, this is very self explanatory, all you need to do is do a reverse of what you did at the beginning. 

My Opening Title Sequence Idea

Shows a shot from above a man walking up stairs

Shot from below knee level of him walking up

Walking down corridor 

opening door from behind 

above shot of opening box 

Close up of taking gun out 

Close up of putting ammunition into gun 

Wide shot of going to the window 

Outside shot of target 

really close up of finger on trigger 

Close up of eyes 

Sound of door opening 

Wide shot of both figures in shot - Being the same people  

Theres a crowd in the streets, shot from behind 

Cuts to front in slow motion of them raising signs and shouting

Camera cuts to back of the group where they break into a government building

Cuts to pan shot of them walking through the door and down a corridor

From inside the end room you see them walking down into the room

Close up of all their faces in surprise 

Cuts to wide shot of the lab

Shot of them turning around to run out

Cuts to shot of corridor of man in it with dialogue "You shouldn't have done this"

Zoom in shot of their faces surprised. 

This is Cornelius's idea:

The concert / The egg front

-Black Screen with name of studio, start of Non diegetic soundtrack 

-medium shot of Jamie 

-Establishing wide shot of the empty stage

-Synchronous cut to stage shortly before a performance (the band is on stage except for the lead singer)

- Synchronous Cut to Jamie, she turns to the right.

-Eyeline match with empty corner of the stage 

-Synchronous cut to the same corner during the performance where a drum set is stationed 

-a medium shot introduces David who plays the drums

-cut to close up of drum

-cut to close up of David’s face as he focuses on the music 

- Synchronous Cut to Jamie, she turns to the left.

-wipe with hidden cut to the left

-wide shot of a empty corner of the stage

-Guitar starts playing as part of the soundtrack

- Synchronous Cut to the corner of the stage during performance revealing Madelyn playing the E-guitar 

-Close up of Madelyn smiling

-Close up of the guitar 

- Synchronous cut to medium shot of Jamie before the performance looking straight forward

-Close up of Jamie’s face smiling 

-wipe to empty stage (In centre frame are the curtain’s)

-Synchronous cut to the stage during the performance (In centre frame are the curtain’s)

-Jamie comes out of the curtains in an Egg costume

-Switch to hand healed camera

-The camera moves with Jamie while she walks synchronous to the beat across the stage and meets up with the band members 

-The camera comes closer to her face as she stands at the centre of the stage again while the now diegetic soundtrack climaxes, she starts singing the first note 

-Cut to a medium shot of Jamie the camera moves out in one continuous shot revealing the entire stage 

-Cut to title card and black screen, abrupt ending of music 

-cut to closeup of Jamie with her eyes closed 

-Jamie opens her eyes 

-Medium shot of Jamie seemingly disappointed that she is not performing (not in egg costume)

-Wide shot of the empty stage as Jamie walks away, highlighting that the performance was imaginary 

Family Function 

-A gimbal-shot starts out at Francesco’s face; he screams, the camera moves to a mid-shot reviling him sitting at a dining table.

-eyeline match and cut to a mid-shot of Sofia (his sister)

-She says, ‘Is that all you got you little f...’ before she finishes her sentence a non-diegetic orchestral soundtrack starts playing and the dialogue audio is muted. 

-cut to extreme wide shot revealing rest of family (who are all upset)

-cut to wide-shot of Francesco and Sofia leaning across the table, arguing 

-cut to medium shot of Luigi (The father) who is not amused 

-Cut to Medium shot of Regina (The mother) Regina stands up

-pan to wine closet Regina walks across frame with a wine glass 

-Cut to a medium shot of Kyle (Another sibling)

-Kyle shrugs benife the table 

-Cut to medium shot of Luigi

-Multiple fast pasted cuts between Luigi (who progressively gets angrier) and a medium shot of Francesco and Sofia arguing while the music gets more intense 

-Cut to medium shot of Luigi

-Tilt upwards as Luigi jumps up 

-Cut to Close up of Luigi´s profile

-blasted off from Luigi’s mouth Multiple drops of spit fly

-Cut to Extreme close up of single drop of spit flying through the air 

-Cut to close up of Sofia’s face as the spit lands on her face 

-Cut to close up of Francesco face as spit lands on his face

-Cut to medium shot of Kyle sitting underneath the table listening with headphones to music. The non-diegetic soundtrack stops. Muffled diegetic audio of the argument is audible in the background. A diegetic crunchy beat plays through Kyles headphones.

-Eyeline match cut to wide shot of Regina drinking at the wine closet

-Regina looks at Kyle 

-Cut to Medium shot of Regina

-Regina winks at Kyle 

-Eyeline match to close up of Kyle looking at their mother 

-Cut to Medium shot of Regina

-Regina grabs a wine bottle 

-Cut to wide shot of Regina rolling the bottle towards Kyle 

-Medium shot of Kyle 

-Kyle grabs the bottle and notes to their mother

-Cut to close up of Sofia’s face screaming, the non-diegetic orchestral soundtrack starts playing again and the diegetic audio is muted 

-tilt to close up of Francesco screaming 

-tilt to close up of Luigi screaming 

-Cut to Medium shot of Francesco and Sofia on opposite sides in focus, Luigi in center frame (not in focus)

-Francesco pushes Sofia, Sofia falls to the ground 

-Cut to medium shot of Sofia falling on the ground 

-Eyeline match and cut to medium of Kyle 

-Kyle is shocked 

-Eyeline match and cut to close up of Sofia on the ground 

-Eyeline match and cut to close up of Kyle 

-Kyle stops being shocked and seems to be determined 

-Cut to Wide shot of Kyle standing up 

-Cut to Medium shot of multiple gigantic bread sticks 

-Kyle grabs one 

-Cut to medium shot of Kyle holding the bread stick like a light saber 

-Cut to close up of Francesco’s shocked face

-Cut to Medium shot of multiple gigantic bread sticks 

-Francesco reaches over the table to grab a bread stick

-Cut to medium shot of Francesco holding the bread stick like a light saber 

-Cut to Extreme wide shot of Living room 

-Francesco and Kyle run towards each other in slow motion 

-Cut to shocked medium reaction shot of Sofia

-Cut to shocked close up reaction shot of Luigi

-Cut to medium shot of Regina pouring more vine in her cub 

-Cut to medium shot of Kyle and Francesco running towards each other 

-Fade to black as the music climaxes 

-Title card 

 

 

Monday 17 January - First Group Meeting

 In todays lesson, we got arranged into our groups. We managed to agree on a few ideas which is good for a first session. Below are some of the stories my group had come up with. But we also came up with some new ideas that we had come up with on the spot. 

Cornelius: He suggested an opening sequence of a band playing music. And the frame just cuts and turns from the audience to the band. 

A family argument results in a food fight. 

Pablo: He talked about an idea of a Priest in a confession box. The men start confessing, but then a mystery man walks in and sits down and starts confessing scary things. 

We also talked about a range of different other possible opening title sequences from other ideas we spoke about.  

Coursework Opening Title Sequence ideas

First Idea

Summary:

This movie is based upon the pandemic in 2021. The main majority of people are for the vaccine and think thats the way to go to beat covid. But there is a minority of people who think it's all fake. A group of protesters one morning whilst protesting stumble upon a covid vaccine facility and whilst looking they discover the vaccines are all fake and they are actually the governments plan to lower the population. 

Opening scene

In the opening scene, you will see a protest taking place at a government facility. There will be a few members of the protest that will break away from the group to start raiding a nearby building. They break in and start destroying everything until they see the room that makes the vaccines. Here they discover the shocking truth of the vaccines truth. 

Second Idea

Summary:

Based in the future, where time travel is possible. There is a global disaster happening and a family has booked in to travel to the future. Only the richest of people and go to the facility. There is only one facility. The family go to the time traveling place and the oldest child goes last. All your family members go through and its the last members go when suddenly the power goes out and the one machine breaks. The last boy is trapped without your family. This is the story of how he manages to survive amongst this global disaster. 

Opening Scene:

The family is watching the TV, seeing how this tornado is tearing up countries at a time. The tv host says that everyone should get underground within the space of hours/days. The family get all their things together and drive down to the facility. Here they are welcomed but hurried. They travel down the corridor and they see the machine. One by one they take the process of preparing themselves to get in. All the family members have gone through except the oldest child when suddenly the machine breaks when the whole house begins to shake. 

Third Idea

Summary: 

A paid assassin is getting ready to kill his next target who is the prime minister. Just before he is about to press the trigger a portal appears and a future him jumps out and makes him stop. The future self explains how if that happens then the country will fall into the wrong hands. 

Opening Scene: 

The Assassin is in the meeting telling him what to do. They show him the target. A week later, he's on top of a building/ by a window. He's got his sniper out, he's locking onto the Prime Minister, when suddenly a future self of him tells him he's from the future and that his actions there will destroy the county and bring it to an economic collapse. 

Fourth Idea

Summary:

A young brother and sister are locked up in their house by there adopted parents. They finally come up with an idea to escape but it will only allow one of them to escape. In a last minute decision, the brother gives up his freedom. The sister runs through the woods when she comes across an even scarier person.

Opening scene:

Fifth Idea

Summary:

A boy gets run over by a car. He wakes up in hospital with no memory of his life leading up to that point.