Preliminary Task (Mr. S)

Preliminary Task

A preliminary task is a quick shooting and edit of a short film, typically under one minute. It allows you to demonstrate film skills such as acting and camera operating, then see it reflected in the final result. It's also a chance for the cast & crew to work together practically for the first time. Preliminary Tasks are intended to be of a low quality so you are able to identify how you have improved once your final movie is created. The disadvantages of a preliminary task may be that the deliberate low quality could be discouraging to edit. Also, typically more footage that allowed will be filmed, so it's tricky to pick with parts to get rid of, whilst keeping all of the informative sections. These decisions could lead to disagreements within the group.

Roles
Camera Operator & Director: Fatma, because she is steady with the camera, a good improviser and confident in decision-making.
Producer: Lara, because I am good at group-work so can co-operator with the director fluently.
Actor: Mohidin, because he is a student at Oasis and fits the role of a young person asking another young person out.
Actress: Suweda because she is a student at Oasis and fits the role of a young person asking another young person out.

Our preliminary task is approximately thirty seconds. To achieve this, we had to cut out some of the footage using Final Cut Pro.

The plot is based on two school friends arranging a date on the isolated stairs of Oasis Hadley. We've included shots such as over-the-shoulder, movements such as panning and angles such as low angle mixed with a tilt.

Scenario

• The scene begins with Mohidin asking Suweda what she's doing later
• Suweda says that she's doing not much, so Mohidin takes the chance to ask her to the cinema
• After the date is confirmed, they head downstairs as Mohidin offers to escort her to lesson
• Before Suweda exists through the door, Mohidin says he will pick her up at 7
• They say goodbye and the scene closes as Mohidin is shown going all the way downstairs and out of sight.

Difficulties we encountered whilst filming:

• Unfortunately, the place we decided to film is popular of passers-by, so one shot vaguely included a man standing in the background. The other attempt at the shot included laughter which we thought was a bigger issue because it wouldn't make sense to edit out the sound as the sound included important dialogue.

• Camera operating was vaguely difficult as we had limited space, so choosing which frames to use proved to be tricky. We decided to extend the setting down the stairs to overcome the little options we had.
• The actors found it hard to act professionally and laughed at times, causing us to re-take some shots.
• Background noise and people passing by forced us to wait until it was quiet/coast was clear, before filming, which wasted precious time.
• Sometimes the director and producer had different ideas on what the actors should do, so discussion would delay action.

Difficulties we encountered whilst editing:

• We had trouble with the lighting in the shot of Mohidin standing against the window. We noticed this after it was put into Final Cut. It makes the edits before and after seem very choppy and unprofessional. Luckily, it only happened once, as the rest of the shots were clearly filmed. 

• Near the end, a very choppy edit that we couldn't smooth out - or simply didn't know how - slowed the flow of the scene.

• We ended up with too much footage that we had to cut down in order to reach precisely 30 seconds.
• Some mistakes were made while editing, so we had to undo the action and do it again differently.
• We started playing around with sound for a while before we realized we didn't have to.

What have I learned? I've learned that setting is very important as our location seemed unattractive in contrast to the mood of the plot. Acting should be believable, especially in our scenario which required a lot of facial expressions to show the emotion of being asked out. The space of our location should be thought about as well as the actual place - we could hear their voices clearly, but rather loud and echo-like as it was in a compacted space that extended further down like a tunnel. Above all, group work is compulsory as this is not a one-man show and there are multiple roles that need to be fulfilled efficiently without hassle.

Conclusion: I am writing this after starting my real AS production, so I can confidently say that the preliminary task was a good and practical preparation for a much more serious task. Looking at the flaws in this video also gives us strong ideas as to what not to do now - such as film a character in an obviously bad angle that results in the poorest lighting. It's warmed us up to our roles which has to be kept throughout the hardships of the practical coursework. During the preliminary, we did not focus majorly on the idea of the audience - just how we thought it looked and no further than that. However, now, I see the importance of doing everything for the audience and not just personal fulfilment. 



Planning: Shot List (Miss. B)

Planning: Shot List

 

The shot list is an extra legal document, created by Lara (me). It briefly describes the camera shots, movements and angles. I've included which frame they are to be considered. This is useful for the camera operator who we have chosen as Fatma.

 



Planning: Pre-Production Paperwork (Miss. B)

Pre-Production Paperwork

We've created five pieces of production paperwork, in preparation for the shooting. These are legal documents used in real supervised productions, thus are compulsory to be accessed at all times. Each document has been read and signed by anybody in the cast, crew, and our media teacher.

•            Production Schedule - created by Lara 

The production schedule is designed to inform members of the cast & crew of what's happening, when, and where. It also includes who needs to be there at specific filming times. The notes at the bottom clarify how props will be handled beyond filming hours. I had some difficulties with organizing the layout. This document is given to all members of the cast and crew.

• Location Recee Form - created by Mohidin

The Location Recee form is designed to inform members of the cast & crew of the different locations used as sets. It provides directions with how to get there, and when. Pictures of the locations BEFORE set-up have been included so people know what to look for as it will look different once we film. This document is given to all members of the cast.

• Client Release Form - created by Mohidin

The client release form is designed to grant us permission to film in locations or areas or locations that may be owned by others. It provides a legal agreement to each of the locations between the cast and anyone who has the right to be shown this document. This document is given to anyone who could sue us e.g homeowners.

 

• Risk Assessment Form - created by Fatma

The risk assessment form is designed to inform all members of the cast & crew what hazards there could be during the makings of the production, how likely they are, and how to resolve them. Explanations are only provided for those with a moderately strong severity. It's important for anyone participating to know the disadvantages before they agree. This document is given to all members of the cast and crew.



 





 

Planning: Micro-Elements (Mr. S)

Planning: Micro-Elements

In this post I am going to discuss the use of micro-elements within my opening. The main aspects within the 'micro' aspect are cinematography, sound & editing. These elements are all a part of any film production, which is the generic answer to why they are so relevant and important. 



CINEMATOGRAPHY
Using a collection of filming techniques, cinematography can act as a direct communication with the audience, or the feel of being 'inside' the movie. Smart and sophisticated camera tricks are distinguished greatly over the thriller genre.

Cinematography is split into three main sectors: shots, angles & movement. Cinematography is important in thrillers because depending on how it is established, the actual 'thrill' response can be created.

Our first camera movement will be a panning shot. We chose this to allow the audience an overview and first impression of the Professor's character before diving into the plot. To contradict that freedom of impression, the panning shot was selected to construct a certain kind. We'll do this by showing him sitting at a desk with coffee, pens/papers, and a laptop. On the wall behind him are photographs and notes, which are all based on the anti-hero. We can see him observing a laptop, scrutinizing facial expression. This immediately has positive connotations of his intentions because as he will be made to look like a well-educated Professor (glasses, lab coat) his purpose can only be research for the means of knowledge/understanding. If we were to give him the opposite imagery, he'd have scruffy hair and perhaps a messy desk of spilt coffee, torn papers in red ink signifying danger.

We are going to use an over-the-shoulder shot as the Professor is observing Lara through a laptop screen. The camera will be directed toward the laptop screen instead of a person, despite this shot generally being used for conversations. The use of over-the-shoulder exposes to the audience what exactly he's watching, and unravels a main theme in the plot - psychosis/psychological/vice versa. It's also important because the next frame is a zoom, which will flow the best if from over-the-shoulder we move the camera straight into the laptop as it's already focused on that subject. Zooming into the scene will make the audience think they're going to find out more about it, more than what the Professor will determine, as the point of view will be INSIDE the room during the event, whereas he's watching it back on footage without first hand experience.

A close up will be used on the anti-hero's angry reaction after the first flashback. This offers the audience the chance to connect with the character, as in the flashback she's shown as happy despite it being out of an affair. When shown currently she is no longer in that beneficial situation and therefore it makes sense for her to respond to the memory in a negative manner. It's also a sign to the audience that she does have mental instability and split personality; it should take something drastic to remember events that lead to feeling scarred however the memory sparks up out of the blue, and her response itself it drastic and fast. The audience are made to respond with sympathy for her response OR respond with anger toward her initial anger because of the idea that she ruined the relationship between herself and the lover, and the relationship between Ivy and the same lover. Much like she has multiple personalities, the audience has multiple choice as to how their response unfolds, too.

There will be a long shot used during the scene of the antagonist's arrival. This frame involves  a clear, full shot of the closed door; representing 'pathways', 'alternatives' - conventional to a thriller, as generally they are made to be interpreted in different ways by different members of the audience. The door will be opened revealing something new and bringing forth content to add to the plot. In the scene the door actually slowly opens, so is not a still frame of the closed door. This creates a further response because as we see the full door, we wonder who will walk through: will they be tall or short, big or small, human or supernatural? Will it be the Professor? A closed door sparks up the imagination that is key for audience engagement, because once they see the identity, the tension vanishes.

A point of view will be used to see things from the anti hero's perspective when she is aware of the antagonist's presence. I considered point of view not just being what 'you' see, but how you see it. This is why I aim for the camera to be held quite still to represent the anti-hero's shock. The only movement is of the antagonist walking toward her. What we see is plainly the antagonist's facial expression, which has no expression. Instead of making her look malicious or vengeful, we thought the most effective symbolism of her death would be to actually make her face look ridden of emotion. The point of view is conventional because the distinction between antagonist and victim is made clear because of the antagonist walking toward the camera, which the audience knows is a person in a vulnerable state. This direct targeting also sparks interest and reflection on the first flashback of the affair, and anticipation on what might happen now because of that event.

We've also included a high angle during the anti-hero's episode of insanity. As she is acting crazy, the camera will be slightly looking down on her. The most obvious meaning created by this is that she is vulnerable - but it links to authority, too. One being the Professor who is 'watching over' her by observing her behavior. He is obviously qualified to do so. And the second being the antagonist - the high angle foreshadows the low angle combined with P.O.V when we meet the antagonist. Both of these tricks are again a clear distinction of who is the bad and who is the good. This could be argued to not be true as the Professor's figure of authority is not intended to be perceived as a bad one.

An extreme long shot makes up the scene of the anti-hero shooting the antagonist. This allows the audience to visually witness the full crime scene and connotations attached to it such as darkness in an isolated road. 

SOUND

Using a collection of props and/or editing techniques, sound can assist the audience into following the story or plot. Sounds are a part of daily life and contribute to our feelings, instincts and emotions, the same effect can be achieved by using sound within a production. 

Sound is important in thrillers because, when considering onomatopoeia, there are many different kinds of sounds that are conventional to a typical scene in a thriller - for example a bunch of violin strings mashed together to create that 'huh?' effect when a character has just heard something ELSE, like a BANG! another kind of sound previously, that was shady. Sound has to flow for understanding to be kept. 

We will use digetic sound when the anti hero shoots the antagonist. During this flashback, their roles are completely different - the antagonist is made to be the victim. So, in correlation to the 'anti-hero's' actions, we need the sound of a gunshot when we see her pull the trigger. This may create shock, but I would rather say the audience would be frightened instead, because there will be no other mellow sounds to warm them up: the gun is abrupt. I think they would be more frightened, considering we see the gun in her hand BEFORE she shoots, which would be the actual point of shock and start-up of tension. 

We will use parallel sound when the anti hero and the lover are caught by the antagonist. In this scene she is not going to be portrayed as an antagonist, so the sounds we use need to match the idea of her feeling emotion such as shock, betrayal and hurt. She's going to react to what she's seen with gasps, which I think is the typical behaviour of someone who has just been cheated on. The audience will be able to sympathize with her situation, and have more understanding of the anti-hero too. It isn't made clear if they know each other personally, there's no expected dialogue, because we wanted the audience to ponder on this.

Within the anti-hero's present reality we're going to include on screen sound such as crying in response to the memory of the murder which gives off vibes like guilt and regret because of where she is today. This, along with other on screen sound, is important because it is proof to the audience that she is mentally disturbed as she will act in different ways in different times, an indication of insanity. The different sounds we actually see her performing will emphasize this as her facial expression and body language will be visible too.

Non diegetic sound is to be used through a soundtrack that sounds dark and is accompanied by a high tempo. This will be played when the antagonist is approaching the anti-hero; her response being to back away from her in a somewhat slow movement to exaggerate that tension created by the soundtrack. Audience will think that the climax of the plot is approaching but will be rewarded with a frustrating cliff hanger as the music stops on the last frame that looks like it ought to have more footage. This is why the non diegetic sound we've picked is really effective.

Our last significant aspect of sound is off screen sound. This is present during the first flashback and includes traffic, birds chirping, and any other natural but non-disruptive sounds. This clearly shows that the couple are in public and in danger of being caught Further, the birds chirping could signify the idea of gossip which leads to being exposed. And, the traffic could foreshadow the antagonists' death - although she dies by a bullet, not by a car. This is conventional to a thriller genre because modern romance films are set in urban locations so it is logical to incorporate that into the romance sector of our thriller. Audience may be able to relate to this event because of it's urban feel and the youth of the couple.


EDITING
Editing is important in the flow of a production. This means the transition from one shot into another without it being obvious or messy to the audience. It's a powerful tool, when combined with sound especially, to stir specific moods within the audience.

There's going to be a reaction shot when the antagonist catches the affair between the anti-hero and the lover. This allows the audience to see her reaction to the event, and create sympathy toward her character. These feelings will be stirred because her facial expression will look hurt. This is conventional to the thriller genre because within a thriller, themes such as shock and tragedy are very typical. 
A slow edit will be put in place when the antagonist enters the anti-hero's room. The audience will respond with the feeling of being chilled/creeped out due to the tension that, by the example of legendary iconic thrillers such as Psycho, so obviously indicates alarm bells as something serious is about to happen which will steal away the atmosphere of tension and replace it with shock, confusion, fear. The slow edit of Ivy approaching Lara is what creates that temporary suspense.
When the antagonist walks toward the anti-hero we're going to use shot reverse shot. This is really handy as it creates more intense suspense though it's the exact opposite technique of the slow editing, as shot reverse shot is commonly quite fast. This, unlike other things such as a close up, allows the audience to establish both character's feelings and emotions in a short space of time - without being confused. This is conventional to a thriller because the tension is circled around the two characters which is reflected in the way the camera works between them. 
To make the transition between the laptop screen and the empty room, we're going to use a wipe cut. We think this will be the smoothest option available because the shots literally have to merge from one to the other and the wipe cut seemed the closest to this professional looking edit as possible. This edit fascinates the audience and prepares them for their 'journey' into the room with the crazy lady. They may feel they're about to gain an insight into her situation, which the Professor won't, because he remains behind the laptop screen. 
A fade to white will be used three times - each being the switch from reality to flashback. The flashbacks will be in black and white, indicating a past time, so fading to white seems more appropriate to the grayscale in brightly lit situations. A contrast may seem painful to the audience eye. Essentially the white is also a symbolism of an outcome of each flashback. White is what the antagonist wears in present time. White is the color of the walls in the asylum room. White is what we see heaven as, which relates to the idea of the antagonists' death. These all contradict each other as she clearly doesn't go to heaven and is not pure, in the end. However it's effective in creating these illusions because the idea of purity cloaked around her skin while she has sinful intentions, to hurt, is thrilling. 


To conclude, I've identified and explained some of the important features in our opening of cinematography, sound and editing. When written there seems to be many connotations, but I am fully aware that these may not actually be established visually unless somebody actually analyses the scene. This is why I've stated the main purpose of the technique, referring to our production as closely as possible.

Planning: Character Representation (Miss. B)

Character Representation

Fatima | Ivy (named after poison Ivy, conventional as the is the antagonist),  wife/dead woman

character role: antagonist

age: 22/3

gender stereotype: alive = slim, British, good / dead = pale, slim, intimidating

costume: alive = formally casual / dead = ragged dirty white dress, barefoot

hair & makeup: alive = neat straight hair, plain natural makeup / dead = ragged messy hair, powdered face, contoured facial structure with blood contacts 

body language & facial expression: casual body language in flashback, then shocked e.g. shaking; facial expression traumatised  / intimidating and elegant body language when dead; no expression on face to indicate being dead

represented as: initially a victim, transitioning into a dead antagonist

role within the narrative: sees the affair, gets murdered by the offender, comes back for the woman, as a ghost

Lara | Lara, girlfriend/offender/criminal/pregnant insane woman

character role: anti-hero

age: 22/3

gender stereotype: slim, British, dark hair, split personality

costume: light neutral colours e.g. grey top

hair & makeup: frizzy hair and smudged makeup at the institution / straightened hair and light makeup in the flashbacks

body language & facial expression: casual happy body language and facial expressions in 1st flashback / overwhelming happiness in 2nd flashback / nervous body language and attempted expressionless face in 3rd flashback / crazy unpredictable behaviour in the mental ward

represented as: firstly good but an offender of the wife, then a criminal, then a mad woman

role within the narrative: demented woman in a mental institution being observed by a professor. her story is revealed in the flashbacks showing her as a home wrecker and a murderer

Mohidin | Professor, observer of Lara

character role: protagonist
age: 30-40
gender stereotype: British, 'smart', mature
costume: white shirt, striped tie, grey/black trousers, glasses
hair & makeup: neat hair, no makeup
body language & facial expression: straight posture, elbows on desk, calm yet intrigued facial expression
represented as: the intended decoder of Lara's behaviour, with good intentions, though he seems useless after the audience gain understanding and he still struggles
role within the narrative: he observes Lara to try determine why she is mentally unstable. His perspective is different from hers.




Max | Max (husband)


character role:
age: 22/3
gender stereotype: British, tall, intelligent, mature
costume: smart clothing e.g. white shirt and black tie
hair & makeup: neat, no product, no makeup
body language & facial expression: casual body language, happy facial expressions, clear ignorance of the presence of his wife
represented as: secret lover of the anti-hero and subject of her reasoning's for murder
role within the narrative: has a secret affair with the anti-hero
 

Planning: Mise En Scene (Mr. S)

Planning: Mise En Scene

Mise En Scene is made up of lighting/colour, costume/hair/makeup, body language/facial expression, setting & iconography.

It is important in films because everyone involved in the production needs to have a clear understanding on what is taking place, where - and why. What makes it conventional? Our opening is closely focused on the setting of an empty white insane asylum room, but why? Because it's significant toward our anti-hero character: she's insane. Everybody needs to know the same amount of detail (which should be precisely all of it). Everything shown or symbolized is a message to the audience, in which they will respond. Mise En Scene helps to capture the ideal response and transform it into action at the cinema. 

I think it is important to consider the Mise En Scene, especially in thrillers because everything included needs to be conventional to the genre, and create an appropriate response from the audience. the ultimate goal of a production is to make a profit, sourced from the consumers. If an opening/trailer of a movie doesn't seem appealing or good, they won't come to theatres. Anything and everything within MES should be carefully considered due to the audience you want, then what you want them to think/feel in response to the film. Typically the iconography blood, weapons and photographs perfectly suit the ideology of a psychological thriller containing a psycho stalker/killer. The audience will be able to make this link between other similar movies they have seen and begin to recognise what they should expect when they go to the cinema. 

SETTING | Our opening will consist of four settings:

1. an empty write room (Lara's mental institution ward). We have chosen the room to be empty, and the walls to be white, because the expression of her mental state is enough to psychologically fill the room with madness and colour the walls with her boiling blood due to the different emotions exhibited (anger, fear, despair, etc.).
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. a quiet suburban road (The scene of the crime). We have chosen the murder to take place on a quiet road because it represents the isolation that Lara intends for her new family - no-one to replace her or disrupt her future. Also, logically a crime should be done away from civilisation so as to not draw attention to herself.
3. a second quiet suburban road (The scene of the affair). We have chosen a similar setting to that of the murder, but it's conventions have completely changed. It represents the fact that they are dating in secret away from the wife. The road also symbolizes Lara's pathway or fate, which all changes on another road which is almost the same.
4. a bathroom (The scene of the 2nd flashback). We've chosen this because typically when looking at a pregnancy test you do it straight after carrying out the test, aka in a bathroom or public cubicle. 

ICONOGRAPHY | Our opening will consist of the following iconography:

• coffee/papers/pen/glasses/laptop/photographs - to assist Mohidin's role of a Professor by making it more realistic. The laptop is already needed due to the idea of his observations.
  
  

  
  

  

  
  
  
• chair/tray of food/whiteboard - for the empty white room. The food will be flung by Lara out of an outburst. The whiteboard will be displaying information such as her name, when she arrived and her current state. The chair will be her only option for comfort, but she ignores this.
• rose - for the 1st flashback. This rose is shown again during the scene of the dead woman.
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  pregnancy test - for the 2nd flashback. The test will be positive
  
• gun - for the 3rd flashback. Lara will use this to kill Elizabeth.
• blood - when we see the dead woman, she will have a gun wound on her dress which will be achieved with fake blood.

LIGHTING | Our opening will consist of the following lighting:

• top & under - for the Professor's theme, under from the laptop and top from a generic lamp
• under - for Elizabeth's theme, to highlight her bones and pale makeup, making her look scary and powerful
• top - for Lara's theme, light shining down on her to represent vulnerability and the source of light being out of her reach, much like her life slipping out of her fingers drastically
• natural - for the Professor's environment indicating a neutral character, for the quiet suburban road of affair due to the setting being outside
• low-key - for the Professor's environment (he has a combination of natural darkness and artificial highlights from above and below), for the second suburban road representing the crime at a fairly late hour 
• high-key - for the second flashback representing happiness due to bright positive lighting, for Lara's mental ward as the Professor will need to see her properly, also gives the impression that nothing supernatural is about to happen so audience are in for a shock.

COSTUME | Our opening will consist of the following wardrobe:

• Elizabeth (Fatima) - in the flashback she will be wearing casually smart clothing, allowing for the assumption that she's just been in a meeting or job. her age is 22 so the general clothing of the Oasis sixth formers seem appropriate for this effect. During the scene where she's dead, she will be wearing a long white cut-off dress exposing her bare feet. The dress will be ragged, ripped and dirty. We will also create a gun wound effect using fake blood to clearly show that this is indeed the wife.
• Lara (Lara) - in the mental ward, she will be wearing a grey top. This signifies the balance between black and white or 'good vs. evil', and in Lara's case she is battling herself with two personalities - the good which we see when protecting her family but the bad shown in how she does this (murdering Elizabeth). This balance also brings a Medium to mind, 

and our opening is mostly a psychological thriller. In the first and second flashback she is wearing casual, neutral colours - possibly a little brighter than ordinary because both of these scenes are a positive aspect within her life. in the third flashback she will wear a black hoodie to represent the 'bad' and the stereotypical corrupted young person of London. 

• Professor (Mohidin) - the Professor will be wearing what typical Professor's are seen in - a white top, grey or black smart pants, and a dark-ish plain or striped tie. We may include a lab coat as this Professor is one of psychology, being that he is observing Lara's mind, and we want to show this through his appearance. He'll also be wearing glasses to complete the look of a scholar. 

BODY LANGUAGE & FACIAL EXPRESSION | Our opening will consist of the following behaviours of our actors:

• Elizabeth (Fatima) - in the first flashback, as she walks, she will have a normal somewhat bored look on her face. She will be walking at a moderate pace, not too fast or slow, to show that her life is currently at ease and she's not expecting anything. She'll be on her phone, looking down toward it in her hands. As she looks up she sees the affair and stops walking; literally freezes in her spot. Her face is frozen too for a split second and then breaks out into a mixture of emotion that all wrap into tears. Primarily she will be shocked, this can be shown by her mouth open and a gasp while simultaneously raising her hand to her face.  When she's dead, she will walk in with her head bowed. Her posture will be straight and elegant. She will show no sign of characteristic in her walk, e.g. the way people swing their arms. This is to show that she is simply dead. When she raises her head and we see her face, that's emotionless too. Her expression is blank and she makes no attempt to scare Lara, even though she does go crazy nonetheless.
• Lara (Lara) - in the first flashback Lara will be looking and acting very happy; laughing and playing around with her boyfriend. In the second flashback she will be more obviously happy because of her smile and amazed expression at the pregnancy test. She will be very still to emphasize the shock. In the third flashback her character changes completely; she's nervous and apprehensive toward killing the wife. She shakes and hesitates a lot, and her eyes will be wide and lips pursed. Finally she toughens up, draws her eyebrows down, secures the hold on the gun and shoots. In the mental ward she is unpredictable and all over the place, for example one minute laughing and the next completely silent. She's violent at some point too, trying to hurt herself and the tray of food. 
• Professor (Mohidin) - The Professor will be sitting down with a straight posture to represent authority over Lara and her release/stay, what happens next etc. His elbows will be on the desk, granting him access to the objects on it (e.g. the coffee and the laptop). His face will be calm, because I think in general Mohidin looks like a calm person. But we want him to put on a seriously intrigued expression at Lara's behaviour. At times he should scratch his head and try making notes then scribbling them to show the confusion and frustration he has over not knowing what is going on. 

CONCLUSION | By now I am positive that everyone in my group, including myself, has a confident and clear understanding of what exactly is going to happen, and what exactly we need to do to make it all happen. I think all of our choices are very conventional, at times stereotypical but ultimately effective and bound to create expected and possibly unexpected responses from the audience. 

                

Planning: Storyboarding (Miss. B)

Storyboarding

Storyboards are drawings of the sequence of shots for a script. They inform on multiple things, including characters, story/plot, and extras such as sound/editing. This is useful because it allows the director to communicate specific ideas to members of the crew. For example, if the Lighting Operator is unsure on which lighting to use, the director can consult the story board, find the frame, and narrow down the detail specifically to 'lighting'. Storyboards also save time instead of making decisions on the spot; it's important to know the last ten steps you took, the one you're on now and the next ten in line to keep the work flowing and efficient. A story board avoids confusion, conflict, and reinforces clarity of the concept. The Story boarder (Mohidin) is responsible for creating our main storyboard - however we have all created a separate source of information to show our understanding of the final idea.

Advantages of storyboarding include:

• Knowing exactly what your plot consists of
• How to exhibit this practically, by use of the extra detail provided
• An aversion of confusion about what to do next
• A sense of order because of the frames
• Keeping watch on time with the seconds, because all productions have to last a certain amount of seconds/minutes/hours
• Information for all roles - lighting for the lighting operator, shots for the camera operator and so forth 

Storyboarding helps the editor in particular because once all aspects have been established through those details, all that is left is the details. However, information about lighting can be infused with editing - such as using an effect to create low-key.

Planning: Production Roles (Miss. B)

Production Roles

There are different role within a production which describes a member's job and importance within the production. Each role needs to be carried out by at least one person who is suited for the tasks ahead. For example, the director will need to be loud, confident and skilled in improvisation to make quick changes. In my group's opening we have distributed out nine roles between the four of us - and tried to assign them fairly. Giving one person two hard roles such as Sound and Editor may jeopardize their chances of doing well, in comparison to someone with easy roles such as Hair/Makeup and Lighting.  Each person has both levels of difficulty to consider. Most importantly we have made sure that everyone is comfortable with their positions.

• Camera Operator - This person is responsible for controlling camera shots, angles and movement. The purpose of this role is to film all of the shots so there is content for the other members - such as the Editor - to carry out their job successfully. Also to simply transform the storyboard into a visual motion picture. This requires taking into consideration risks such as breaking the 180 degree rule or breaking cameras.

Our Camera Operator is Fatma because she is confident in taking up this role and has previously done a GCSE on Media Studies.

• Producer - This person is responsible for assisting the Director in procedures such as the actors/actresses actions, regarding the storyboard. The Producer also checks that every member of the team is working to a high standard and creating the correct content. This requires maintaining and communicating respect within the group, making everybody feel comfortable to that their job is of a better quality, despite the differences on task difficulty.

Our Producer is me (Lara) because, having also done a GCSE on Media Studies, I know what I'm doing. Additionally I am a good leader so will work well with the Director.

• Director - This person is responsible for being in charge of the organisation of the production. The Director is very important as they make many choices that effect the whole outcome of the film. They work alongside the Producer. An example of their purpose is the directing of actors/actresses - where to go, how to go there, and what to do once they are there. They can also yell 'cut' to stop a scene if they wish to make changes. This requires communication between the Director and every member of the team, so they are in a comfortable position to take advice and guidance.

Our Director is Fatma because we believe her to be organized and outspoken. She is also fair despite striving for a powerful role, during group work she always ensures everyone is on an agreement before proceeding to make a final decision.

• Lighting Operator - This person is responsible for deciding which kind of lighting will suit each frame in every shot, determined by every factor such as location, time, and themes (e.g. romance). This role is important because the lighting needs to suit the scene, and if a happy scene is accompanied by a dark, dreary lighting, it won't make sense to the audience and stir up false grudges of something about to happen when it really won't. This requires careful consideration particularly when filming inside and at evening/night-time.

Our Lighting Operator is Suweda because she's quiet and calm and we thought those traits suited somebody who deals with the lighting as it's an easy, flexible task to do.

• Location Manager - This person is responsible for choosing the suitable location for a shot to be scene. The purpose of this role is, like a Lighting Operator, to match the setting to the scene. For instance, it makes sense to have school children shown inside of a classroom. The setting is also open doors to specific props, like in the classroom could be stationary used as weapons when in a thriller. This requires a logical mind and agreement between the members, particularly the actors as they are the ones being filmed in that location. If the area is owned, permission needs to be earned by the Location Manager from the person of interest.

Our location manager is Mohidin because our group noticed in his sketches the settings were drawn out very well so we think he could apply that appropriately to the real life situation.

• Costume, Hair & Make-up - This person is responsible for the appearance of all actors and actresses. This includes designing their costume, the style of their hair and how their make-up is set. It's important because the appearance helps the actor or actress to get into character and perform better. Required attributes include creativity and a steady hand for make-up/hair.

Our Costume, Hair & Make-up person is Suweda because she has a steady hand and an open mind on style.

• Story boarder - This person is responsible for the team's general idea of a plot, by creating detailed descriptions of every frame with a sketch of what it will look like. This role is really important because the storyboard is where all the ideas tie into such as a camera shots and the duration. It saves time, conflict, and in a real production a lot of money, to create a storyboard and follow the basis rather than making up decisions on set. This requires an agreement on details and the protection of the storyboard so it doesn't get lost. Somebody creative should take up the job as you have to imagine the scene you're writing/drawing about as if it's already been shot and edited.

Our Story Boarder is Mohidin because when creating his frames on paper, they were very detailed and the drawings were clear and labelled.

• Editor - This person is responsible for making the scene look professional by putting frames together and applying changes to the footage. This includes things like Fade To Black or dissolve. These are both types of transitions between one shot to another. Editing programmes are an advantage because if something during filming is wrong, you can cut it out through the process of editing. This requires creativity and IT skills as it's done on the computer.

Our editor is me (Lara) because I edited my own production for GCSE. I enjoyed it as well as excelled in it. I'm also very creative which is why I chose Media Studies initially so I think I could do this well, despite it being a hard role to take on.

• Sound Technician - This person is responsible for making the sounds to be edited into the content. This is important because we are not making a silent movie and there are aspects of the plot which 100% require sound. But also, sound combined with visual is very engaging for the audience; it creates effect. Like editing, this requires creativity and IT skills.

Our Sound Technician is Fatma because she wants to pursue a career in Media so I think giving her a wide range of tasks to fulfil would be beneficial to our group, as well as her having the ability to maintain it because of that passion for Media.

This planning has been - and will continue to be - beneficial to our group as we are now certain that each role will be fulfilled. They're all important, so somebody needs to take on at least one. Why are they important, though? Because it's exactly what a production is all about - a production is not just footage made fancy. It's all the people running around ensuring everything is perfect so that it is ABLE to be made fancy. Roles are also a sense of personal confidence as we have assigned them according to traits we believe each member of the group should be proud of.