Video of reactions to our pitch for ideas!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poTUaxfBkMA&hd=1

Our Media Production 'Le Monde'

This is our media production called 'Le Monde', we hope you all enjoy the film!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGBET72dTJ0

Details of how editing went

In the editing of our project, we found some issues with the footage that we had obtained and found it difficult to create a film with a large amount of variety of shots, whilst keeping a story that was both thrilling and keeps the storyline going. The image below are thumbnails of our finished video in sequence to form the two minute video! We ended up using just the footage from the car scene to create a new storyline which gives off a mysterious scenario.

We managed to get the lighting effect we wanted with this shot similar to those of James Bond and Drive, the lighting expresses the facial expressions and the actions of the protagonist. The medium close ups also capture the surrounding environment. 

This shot took a long time to get right, the angle of the mirror shows the audience the protagonists expression from another point of view. 

We played with different soundtracks for the strangulation scene. The most effective out of these soundtracks we felt was 'Non, je ne regrette rien'. This had the effect of creating an almost comic atmosphere, yet the threat of the protagonist's death is very real. This sense of irony from the major music is an effect that Tarantino uses in Reservoir Dogs and we felt inspired to edit into our film.

This is an example in our editing process of fast-cut editing, we did this to emphasis the danger and violence of the strangulation scene in the film. The conventions of a thriller usually have fast-cut editing in the 'action' scenes of the films and we wanted to use it. This is especially effective when it contrasts with the major tones of the soundtrack. However the diegetic sounds that we decided to include give it a more distinct danger as the audience can also hear the reactions of the protagonist rather than just see them.

This shot was a continuous one-shot, it was difficult to co-ordinate around the body of the protagonist. However when put in the film it proved to be a key shot to link together both the titles and the main storyline of the film. 

We wanted to edit in the names of those in the group with the newspaper article, this use of titles is something that we were interested in incorporating into the film. overall we found the editing process of the project the most enjoyable as we could really see by the end of it the efforts coming together to what we think are great results.

Details of how the shoot went

On the day of the shoot we were blessed with appropriate weather for our initial shooting for our production. We initially encountered problems with cars parked in the area where we wished to shoot. Luckily we planned to shoot in a different area prior to this taking into account that it could be busy in the morning of the shoot.

We also had to adjust the shots that we took on the day taking more than we planned to on our original shot list. This gave us more to work with when it came to editing the production. By the time we came back from our secondary shooting site the area was more clear to shoot in. This will allow us to use transitions to switch between areas in the film.

We had great concerns with the encounter between the two German officers and the main protagonist and this proved to be an issue trying to film shots that showed a great deal of intimacy between them both. However, we got around this by shooting many shots of the three and will attempt in editing to piece together in a way that makes sense to the audience. We were also extremely careful in this instance not to break the 180 degree rule, which we managed to do, whilst avoiding people walking past in the streets.

The opening scene that we planned to shoot was in a local field with a footpath running through. In the lighting conditions that we were shooting in it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get some footage for the film. We used a mass range of shots in this scene for example, there are point-of-view shots from the main protagonists view. Shots like this gives us more to work with when it comes to editing and will make it far more interesting for our audience.

We still encountered problems nevertheless when shooting this scene. Tractors in the background of our shoot often came into the framing (obviously not fitting with the time period in which the film is set). This caused us to have to repeat certain shots a number of times, causing a major delay in our overall shooting time. In order to get this right for any further shooting we would obviously have to go and scout prior to actually shooting, rather than relying on knowledge of the area. This did not get in the way though of the overall quality of the footage we obtained though. Overall though, we learnt a great deal about preparation for the film and this gave us a vast deal of experience to build upon in the future and plan for when shooting our next film!

Test Shots for our production

The following are some test shots that we took of the car in place where we wish to film. We used the software Picasa to create an evening effect which allows us to use the conventions of Film Noir. The setting in this shot looks like the car is alone and therefore as an audience we will also get the feeling of isolation from help. The close-up test shot of the hand turning the ignition is one that will split the film between the first soundtrack and the second giving a distinct change in atmosphere to the film. The last test shot is one that we use as one whole shot, it will follow the rope from the dead body to the back of the car. This will be where it meets with the titles in the newspaper, interlinking with the strangulation scene.

Props we will use in our Media Production

We will use car keys as a tool to switch the soundtrack of the film when the engine is switched on. We will then be able to insert non-diegetic sounds to change the atmosphere of the scene. They also serve as a distraction from the gun that will be in the front compartment. 

The Morris Traveller is the car that we will be using shoot the strangulation scene in. It is a confined space and this helps us address the conventions of a thriller, putting the two characters in an intimate space with intentions of murder. The car also fits the time period of 1956, however it has no alarm in it that can be activated and offers no real chance for the protagonist to help himself when being attacked.

 The thick orange rope will be used to strangle the protagonist with. We chose this colour because we wanted it to resonate in the audience's mind and doesn't fit with the colour of something we would expect to see in a strangulation scene. We have also planned to use the length of the rope to create a single shot following the rope back to the titles placed in the back of the car.

The gun in the film has obvious connotations with danger and violence. It can be expected that the protagonist is dangerous from the basis that he has a gun. When the audience sees the gun this instantly creates tension.

Costumes we will use in the film

The costume we wanted to use for our shoot had to make the protagonist look mysterious to the audience. We don't want to give too much away to the audience about his history, there just needs to be a sense that there is a history and he is dangerous. The black jacket makes him look dark and doesn't show whether the character is good or evil. The character will also be wearing a white shirt and black trousers. This fits the conventions of Film Noir as we are consistently using blacks to portray the character.

The Killer will be unidentifiable by the audience because she will be wearing a black hat and that is all we see of her apart from the black gloves she will wear to hide her hands. Again, these will be black to portray that sense of mystery that will run in the film. The film doesn't give the audience any indication through the use of costume who is good or evil. The hat hides the killers face so we learn very little about her. However, because of her actions we learn that she too is a dangerous character which creates a sense of threat to the thriller.

Location Shots Revised

We were concerned with the lighting for our production and we gathered that the main time period should be the daytime for our shoot and then if we wanted to we would change the lighting on iMovie. With this the location for the shoot changed as the street lighting was no longer necessary. We are shooting in a street near a local church. The stone walls look as though they still fit in the time period set and we can still put the car in the shoot next to the wall to avoid getting anything too modern in the framing of the shoot.

This location will fit the conventions of a thriller because of the abandoned feeling that we will give the film. In the framing all the audience will see is the car and the abandoned street. This will create the effect of making the protagonist isolated from the world. They will have no help escaping the assassin. There is also a gate separating the path from a river. This reinforces our wish to include elements from Film Noir. The angular structure to the gate gives a tense feeling to area which is only emphasised by the graveyard to the right of the path.

Audience Feedback to the storyboard and shotlist

Some people we asked had concerns with the original shot-list. This was mainly with the sequencing of scenes and how the protagonist would shift from the countryside to the centre of a busy town in such a short period of time. However this we thought would be an issue and changed it for our story board. The intention for shooting is now to shoot just the car scene in the film. This will be supplied with the back story of 1956 France, giving the audience an idea that there is some kind of espionage backstory to the protagonist's situation.

Feedback of the story board were far more positive, and this helped us shape the plans for our film:

"Love the idea of having point-of-view shots from both the victim and the killer" JG - Media student

"Using a range of shots is good to show the conventions of the thriller" MM - Media Student

"I think you will struggle to put the shots together in an order that is coherent, and you will struggle to avoid putting in things that ruin the continuity. But if it is right then it should be really good' CC - Media student

"The shot types that your using sound really cool, I like the idea of using the French music in the film!"  EP Media Student

"Building up tension to the final strangulation is a good way to keep the audiences attention, I like it!" CH - Media Student

The Rationale Behind our Thriller Idea

Our thriller idea is designed to surprise the audience with the death of the main protagonist; it gives the film an opportunity to continue the film of the protagonist’s death. The film takes influence heavily from the work of Quentin Tarantino. This is through the ironic shift in mood from the use of a major music from the minor music creating a pulse to the film. The major music we will be using for the film was also inspired by Christopher Nolan’s Inception, which works with our ambitions to create a film set in France 1956. The following image is of the torture scene in Reservoir Dogs whilst the song 'Stuck in the middle with you' plays over in the background.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ukstws19D4

In terms of shot choices we will be shooting we have some point of view shots that we will include of the strangulation scene, which gives us perspective of the character, this is inspired by Phone Booth as it constantly gives the audience the perspective of the killer which automatically creates tension. The shots will include high angle shots to give the impression to the audience that the protagonist will be killed.

The overall effect we will try and pursue is to build up tension until the strangulation occurs. This climactic moment in the film will be far more intense due to the different shots we will try and incorporate to the shoot. 

What we will do based on our results for our questionnaire

Based on the results from our questionnaire we can establish what we are going to base our thriller on. The main view from our target audience is that we should be focusing our storyline around the psychological thriller. Another aspect of the questionnaire that we addressed was the to get the setting appropriate for our thriller. With characters the character had to be likable. However, this was an answer that we couldn’t achieve because of the short window of time in which our thriller takes place.  We were going to film our production in colour and then edit it so it becomes black and white. However we decided that the responses suggested that we should keep the thriller in colour.

Questionnaire Feedback