Production Roles- Miss Miller

Particular roles are allocated when creating a film or sequence as they enable people to focus on specific areas of the production. Each role is significant as it contributes towards producing a sucessful production and the person filling each particular role has a very important job to ensure the production comes across as professional. The necessary roles needed to create a production include:

• Production company
• Producers
• Directors
• Actors
• Music producers
• Directors of photography
• Screenplay writers
• Editors

When allocating these roles to our group members, we discussed the qualities and skills that would need to be applied to ensure each role is completed well so it is sucessful. I was allocated the role as an actor; the main character (female victim) because I haven chosen to take A-level drama, as I sustained a grade B at GCSE. This gives me an advantage over the other members in my group as neither Mikaeel or Tyler were as interested in having a large or main role in the production as they do not study drama as a subject. I also contributed towards the role of music producers, along side Mikaeel as we both spent time in lessons reseaching potential sounds and music that fit in with our narrative and could be used within our production. Examples of SFX that we found are heavy breathing and a heartbeat as they are conventional to a thriller as they create suspense and surprise.

We allocated Tyler as the editor, as he had used the editing softwear before with our preliminary task and knew how to cut, import, and put filters on our sequence. We were confident that Tyler would be able to finalise our sequence and make it flow as is played so it looked professional.

We decided that the director of photography will be Mikaeel as he has the least amount of time on screen, allowing him to be free to film whilst Tyler and I are in role. Mikaeel had to tell us where we needed to stand within the frame and instructed us on what we were doing right and what else we needed to do, as he could see what was happening from the audience's perspective. This also meant that Mikaeel took on the role of director as he kept track of what had been filmed and what we needed to do to complete all of the shots for our opening sequence.  

Filming Schedule- Miss Georgiou

A filming schedule is used to describe the shots, angles and transitions that will be used for each scene. It states the location of each shot, so we know exactly where to go when filming. The schedule included the content of each scene so when we we're filming, we knew what had to be included in that particular shot. We listed a variety of shot types for each section to ensure that out sequence had different shots throughout so it wasn't boring to watch. Costume, hair and make-up was included on the schedule so we knew exactly what the actors needed to wear to make our sequence conventional to a thriller and so every shot matched up and didn't look odd. We wrote down the iconography that would be in the shot so we knew what props needed to be included in each frame. The schedule also states who each role will be played by and we listed all of the equipment we needed to film our sequence. This schedule kept us organised and ensured we knew exactly what we needed to have to make our thriller sequence work. 

Risk Assessment- Miss Georgiou

 

When filming our opening sequences, there will be a variety of risks that we need to take into consideration in order to stay safe ourselves and also to be aware of potential elements of danger for members of the public near where we are filming. These hazards need to be addressed so everyone stays safe so any injuries can be prevented. 

In the table above, we have outlined hazards that we can prevent to keep everyone safe. For example, as our sequence encourparates the antagonist running with a knife, we had to make sure that when the knife was not being used, it was covered up and safe to pick up so it did not cut anyone. Everyone had to be aware of where the knife was so no injuries occurred throughout the process of filming the whole sequence. This risk assesment table helped us with the dangers of each scene therefore made us think about the details of the scene before we filmed it so we can adjust parts of it to make it safe. 

Inspirations- Miss Georgiou

We need inspirations before we can create something because they give us ideas when planning and ensure we can create a successful product. I was inspired by the clip from Scream we watched in class: the female victim in a deserted car park with no exit to safety and no one around to help.

The low key lighting in this clip helps set an eerie atmosphere and creates suspense which is conventional to a thriller sequence. This will be good to include in my own thriller sequence because it will help contribute to making the audience feel anxious about what might happen. The eerie music and obsure silences are conventional to a thriller sequence as they cause the audience to feel suspense and shocked. If we used this in our opening sequence, it would make the audience interested in our film, making them want to carry on with watching the film. We can make these elements from this sequence our own by using them at points in our narrative that are intense, to ensure the audience are aware of the dangerous situations that will take place.


Watching a variety of thriller sequences/ film clips broadened my knowlegde and my research has inspired me to encourparate some ideas into my own narrative, to make my sequence better and extremely conventional to a thriller sequence.

Opening Scene Narration- Miss Miller

The opening sequence starts with a long shot, with low key lighting in an isolated car park, where a couple are arguing about problems in their relationship.  The camera zooms into a mid shot, allowing the audience to witness the dialogue, facial expressions and body language between the couple. The female character accuses the male character of cheating which leads to them breaking up. As the audience become aware of the break up, an over the shoulder shot, from behind the female character will be used to show the reaction on the boyfriend as he agrees with the break up and begins to walk away. As the male character goes to drive off from the female character, the camera zooms out into a long shot to demonstrate her being isolated and alone from everyone. The camera then zooms back in, to show a mid shot of the female character standing on her own in the car park. An over the shoulder shot is used again to show the female character noticing a dark figure standing in the distance. The camera remains over the female character's shoulder as she takes out her phone to try and reach someone to make them aware of a possibly dangerous situation she could be in. A close up is then used to show how her phone has no signal leaving her un-reachable and unable to contact anyone. The camera then zooms out, back to an over the shoulder shot and into a shot reverse shot to show the antagonist, then the victims reaction and then back to the dark figure of the antagonist in the distance. A long shot is then used as the victim runs up a dark alley to try and escape the stalker. The camera then changes to a POV/ handheld of the antagonists perspective as he chases the victim up the alleyway. A close up is used again to show the scared and worried facial expressions of the victim. Panning will then be used to show the chase in the alley and then the camera will change to a two shot  to show the stalker catching up with the victim. The camera will return to a long shot as the victim runs through a forest pathway to attempt to hide or get to safety. A mid shot will be used as the victim hides in an area in the forest. The camera will remain in a mid shot as the antagonist discovers the victim, and then finally a high angle will be used as the atagonist stands over the victim, who remains on the floor scared.