What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Throughout the production of our opening sequence, we have all come to grips with using various forms of media in order to create a film production. We have also become more comfortable with using these forms of media and specific software, which I for instance, had never come across before with regards to IMovie for example. I now know how to process a short film using IMovie and how to use various forms of kit constructively such as a digital camera and a tripod. All in all, we have gained crucial and significant experience by using the different forms of media and technology involved with creating a production and are all now completely comfortable with using media kit. This undoubtedly will help us with any further production tasks in future, and will enhance our abilities at A2.

Here is a short list of some of the media products we used when producing Heads Will Roll:

Digital Camera (Panasonic HC-V500): This enabled us to record our shots.















Tripod: This enabled us to manouver our shots smoothly with more stability.













Apple Mac: This enabled us to use all the software needed to produce our Production.













Beats Headphones: When producing our soundtrack this enabled us to listen to it in clear resolution.















IMovie: This enabled us to edit and produce the shots we had recorded in a short film.














Paint: This enabled us to create our production logo and experiment with titles etc.














Photoshop: This enabled us to edit and produce our titles and various frames of shots.















Youtube: This enabled us to gain ideas and research other influential forms of media.

Garageband: This enabled us to produce our soundtrack efficiently.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

  

This is a screengrab of our main character in Heads Will Roll alongside Patrick Bateman, the main character in American Phsycho (2000). The key simmilarities between the two characters is the fact that they are both working men who have hidden psychopathic identities. As you can see, in Heads Will Roll I am suited up with a work bag going into a library and in American Phsycho, Patrick Bateman is also suited up. The only difference between the two characters here, is the fact that you can see Patrick Bateman's face and that you can' t see mine. This defeats the point of direct mystery and confusion we are conveying in our film in comparison with American Phsycho.

Here is a screengrab of my character in Heads Will Roll alongside Hannibal Lecter from the film Hannibal (2001) which was themed as a psychiatric thriller, as is ours. Hannibal Lecter was a murdering cannibal who killed many for the thrill of it. His character can be linked closely with my character in Heads Will Roll as I am also a psychiatric murderer who kills for his own thrills. What is a particularly interesting comparison between the two characters here is the simmilarity of mystery. As you can see from this screengrab, Hannibal Lecter is diguised with his famous mask which allows for the audience to not only just be intrigued and confused as to what his motive is but also to evoke a sense of fear too. This completely opitomizes what we wanted to achieve through our main character in Heads Will Roll, with the only difference between these two characters again being the fact that my face is completely diguised.

How did you attract/address your audience?

This is our opening sequence title and the font we have used is applied in order to evoke a more disturbing and confused reaction from our audience. This in turn allows for our audience to become more intrigued by our production and therefore more connected.

When playing upon this idea of evoking a sense of confusion in order to create intrigue and a passive connection between our audience and our production, this shot opitomizes this aim. By intentionally not allowing for my face to be seen throughout the opening sequence, a underlying mystery to what is going on is left. This is what we aimed to achieve through doing this as it corroborates with the themes within our production. I feel that this theme of mystery and confusion, further emphasized by the fact my face is kept hidden, is our main and unique selling point.

This is a comparative frame of a a scene in American Psycho (2000) and a scene in Heads Will Roll. The interesting comparison between me and Christian Bale is not the fact that we're both amazing actors, but that we are both pschiatric nutcases who are walking down a spooky alley/lane. It is interesting when understanding the concepts of our film to look at such a simmilar shot in a film such as American Psycho. American Psycho was a film that was targetted at those 18 and over, however, our film was targetted at those of all ages. This raises the fact that Heads Will Roll might be more suitable for those of a more mature age range as it shares so many qualities as American Psycho.

Here's a link to Heads Will Roll for you to make your own judgement:

As you can probably gather our music has been produced with regards to the genre type we are trying to evoke from our opening sequence which is horror/thriller. The music here is also suited to help us target the type of audience we want. This is an audience that are willing to be pulled in by a mysterious and confusing horror/thriller. Our theme music helps us to enhance these themes which are then made more realistic and connective between our audience and the production. This undoubtedly will make Heads Will Roll more entertaining.

What would be the taget audience for your media product?

This Man and Girl would both most probably watch our film as they seem to be interested in horror/thriller films and have both stated their intigue in watching them. The girl's faveourite programme is the Wizard's of Waverly Place, which inhabits confusion and mystery elements in it, as are in Heads Will Roll. Then the man's faveourite programme is Top Gear, where exciting and thrilling, edge of your seat traits can be found which are also held within our production piece.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

A media institution such as the likes of 'Dark Castle Entertainment' may distribute our production. Heads Will Roll is a horror/thriller film which should appeal to those of all ages, with our target audience being instigated at males and females of all ages.

A production company such as Dark Castle Entertainment have invested in films such as 'Gothika' since 2003, almost a decade now. At the time of its release, Gothika was the most successful film from Dark Castle Entertainment with $141.6 million. This makes it easier to express the possible faith and intrigue into investing into Heads Will Roll. Our Production shares many horror themed elements as are in Gothika such as mystery, confusion and shock.

Our production company name is 'Night-Light Media' which we thought was complimentary towards the idea of darkness. This essentially, is a key theme in our production, so goes along with our company name fluently. The red dripping of blood-like font used helps us to stand out as a desired business.

As a production company we'd aim to produce films of all genres in the most efficient and best way possible. To do this we'd film using cameras on locations that all fall under our budget and capabilities. After filming everything, we'd then edit the whole piece so that the most perfect production is made. A production company is also left responsible for overseeing that the shots, edits, music and all other effects best fit the point and genre of the film.

The money for our film would be generated by form of ditribution. The distribution company Dark Castle Entertainment may invest in putting money into a film such as ours with regards to the fact that we're less mainstream and looking at a lower budget necessary in order to produce our film. This is a possibility that not only seems realistic, but efficient in the context of looking at making a general investment.

Our titles are a way of acknowledging the people who make our film what it is. We mentioned our cast firstly, starting off with me as I was starring as the main psychopathic character, We thought that it was a complimentary way of starting off the credits seeing as I was in every scene of the opening sequence. This also evokes to the audience the fact that I am the actor behind the leading role. We did not then continue the cast list in any specific order due to the fact that we thought it corresponded with the themes of confusion and mystery conveyed in our production. Music and editing are also mentioned in order to acknowledge the efforts of Tom who merged these elements together.

In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use, Develop or Challenge Forms and Conventions of Real Media Products?

When looking at our final production, we looked at the ways in which it use, develop or challenge the forms and conventions of real media products; in our case a horror films opening sequence. From looking further into our production the films title is similar to other horror film titles in the past, the white title on a black background could be considered a horror film stereotype as well as the font being a long the lines of other film titles similar to past films and they way the title roles and flickers. When looking at setting and location you could consider some scenes fitting the conventions of a "normal" horror opening sequence; the lift scene and alley way, but others which feature such as on the bus and library don't fit such forms of what would be considered a horror setting or location.

When looking at mise en scene such as costume, we tried to avoid such forms as a hooded, masked and deformed murderer but looking at an individual who remains in a suit through out. The story opens with this tall shady character who isn't really revealed to the viewer as his face is hidden from view, it then goes on to him watching people and also what appears to be following people from the location of which they have irritated him which you could say suggests current forms of horror films of an unknown individual following unsuspecting victims.

The way in which are characters are introduced is always with the main protagonist in shot this shows the link between them before the film continues they are all equipped with annoying traits in which the murderer is not best pleased with. They are introduced as normal everyday people which makes the film scarier in some aspects as the victims could of been anyone at any time, the idea of that " they where in the wrong place at the wrong time". The effects use which fit in with conventions of a regular horror film opening sequence ins the way in which the contrast is darkened ad a darker filter is added just to make the scenes appear gloomier than they actually wold of appeared i the effect where not added, also they way the scenes fade in and out of black backdrops fit in with the regular forms of a horror film.

They way that our opening sequence suggests the genre of the film is from many of the usual conventions added to our opening sequence which make it appear the way it does to the viewers , yet by adding our own twist which don't fit in with the normal forms of a film opening sequence by using different locations and not making it apparent that all the characters would be involved in a horrific situation especially with the main protagonist who would not fit the normal forms and convention completely with a blood thirsty, insane and unstable murderer.

Heads or Tails

Heads or Tails



This is the finished soundtrack to our media production, this will be played through out the whole opening sequence and will be the only.

These are a few ideas for titles for our film, as we have yet to decided which to choose we are debating which would look best i our production.

Credits - Font possibilities

Here is a website in which we looked further into various possible fonts for our credits. The theme being horror on this page, fits in perfectly with the themes in our opening sequence.

http://www.1001freefonts.com/horror-fonts.php

First Of The Year (Equinox) - Skrillex [OFFICIAL]

When looking for music for opening sequence we was looking at quite eery sounding track, from the beginning of this song is something along them lines.

Completed Production Logo

Here is our completed and final Production Logo, which we will now use photoshop to enhance further.

Krept & Konan - Possible music for opening sequence

This is a song which bestfits the concept behind our production, and could be used. The track, entitled paranormal activity evokes the mysterious, suspensive and gorey themes we want to put out to our target audience. The unsigned artisits Krept and Konan and all the featruring artists, are extremely popular within many in our target audience's age range. This track will be closely considered!

Detailed Study of the Structure of an Opening Sequence - Se7en

Detailed Study of the Structure of an Opening Sequence - Se7en on Prezi

Spider Filming?

For our later filming, we have talked about the possibility of visiting the London Zoo in order to take close recordings of some of the worlds most decorated spiders. Through research, I have discovered that the zoo has a friendly spider programme, which we might be able to take advantage of and record some spiders. This would inevitably have great effects in our production if progressed upon!

Production Logo in The Making!

 

To create this production logo I used the Paint programme on MS. I used both the paint brush and pencil tool to produce a gory effect of blood dripping, which compliments the horror theme possessed in our production.

I used a Google image of a red torch light, in order to flow with the name of our production company, 'Night - Light'.

Production Company Name Ideas

Target Audience

Target Audience on Prezi

Production Logo

Our overall idea for our production logo is 'Night-Light Pictures', this idea has generated from most children's fear of being scared of the dark.

The reason we used the word 'Night-Light' is because its common for a child to have a Night-Light on their bedside table which they can switch on before they go to sleep. Therefore we have turned this product into our production logo as a fear of the dark can relate back to most people in their early years.

Night-Lights are seen as a safety barrier by most children, almost protecting them from the dark so that they are ensured everything's going to be okay.

Whereas in the beginning of our opening sequence a night-light smashes, giving the idea that there is no protection for children's fear of the dark, and that their safety barrier can easily be taken away.

25 Word Pitch

A horror appealing to a teenage audience, consisting of a murderer who kills based on people doing little things he hates, targeting there fears.

Ideas For An Opening Sequence

As a group we decided we would pick the genre of Horror for our opening sequence and managed to obtain a starter idea. This consisted of a killer out with their partner (however not facing the camera in the shot, hiding his identity) in a restaurant. Someone on a table not far from theres is scraping their cutlery on their plate as they eat which is something that really agitates our killer which leads to the killers partner asking them if they are ok. Character scraping plate is then shot stepping on a spider next to his table and mentions to whom he is with that he hates/fears spiders; this scene fades out. The next scene would be a fade in of the Character scraping the plate tied to a chair with spiders all around and the Killer standing over them. This was a quickly thought interpretation of the idea we had planned in which we would have a Murder who would murder victims for absurd little reasons and act on their fears whilst they are within his grasp. We also discussed the issue of what are killer would look like, and came up with the suggestion of a dark coloured overall with a white mask.

Another idea for our opening sequence is cutting between scenes of pet-peevs/hates, fears and also of whats happening in the world of the killer; with out revealing his identity. cutting between scenes off these scenes well present the initial idea of a psychotic murderer selecting his victims based on them participating in the silly things people hate. The opening would include close ups of these events such as sniffing and chewing food with your mouth opening then cutting to filming of for example spiders etc.

General Ideas

General Ideas on Prezi

Tom's Mood Board

Opening Sequence - Dawn of the Dead

http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/06/30/dawn-of-the-dead

What i like about this opening sequence is the credits themselves, as the text is mainly in what seems to be blood and the way that it drains from the screen when another frame comes in to picture. The mash-up of what seems to be news covered and scenes of horror give off the effect of real fear as if was real life or could arguably be true.

Opening Sequence - Arlington Road

http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/04/03/arlington-road/

What i like about this opening sequence is how the use of different video effects, distort the images and make them seem more bleak and obscure to the viewer. The use of music and other sounds also adds to that effect, things such as dialogue which has been edited (sounds like it is being played backwards) all adds to the darkness which is created in this opening sequence.

Opening Sequence - Final Destination

http://www.watchthetitles.com/articles/00187-The_Final_Destination

What i like about this opening sequence is the way it reveals immediately what the genre of the film is to the viewer; they know what to expect from the film from the gore and amount of scenes just within this opening sequence. This idea of knowing what genre the film is from the opening sequence is something which is an aim to achieve with our own production.

Opening Sequence - Kill Your Friends

http://www.watchthetitles.com/articles/00190-Kill_Your_Friends

What i like about this opening sequence is the integration of credits within a natural environment as it both introduces key themes of the film (Drugs, Alcohol etc.) while also allowing us to see who's in and who has contributed to the films production. An inventive way instead of just simply written credits.

Opening Sequence's - Office Space, Trainspotting & Sweeney Todd

Opening Sequence

Opening Sequence Areas of Interest

- Introduction to a location/ environment

- Introduction of main character(s)

- Film title
- Credits of main actors/ actresses, directors and other members of the production team
- Establishing a style/ tone to the film

- Production company

- Engage audiences imaginations/ capture the audiences attention

Opening sequence 1 : Office Space

The style/content of this opening sequence is that the production company name is given. After this the style/genre of the film is conveyed by the text the credits are presented in; another way the genre was presented was from the backing track, setting a mood for the rest of the film to follow. The opening sequence for Office Space, establishes setting for the film, and possibly introducing main characters. The comedy theme is conveyed from the early character assessments i.e The white actor who appears to be a stereotypical nerd, yet listening to rap music in his car which is stereotypically opposite to his appearance making this clip humorous, a comedy set piece.The opening sequence as a whole presents the film to be relaxed, not hard to follow and no apparent confusing storyline.
My own opinion on Office Space's opening sequence is that it is effective at engaging the audience with the early use of humour, a good way to present the main themes and to display the genre early on, which a good opening sequence should present.

Opening Sequence 2 : Trainspotting
Again in this opening sequence it starts with the introduction of the production company. In this opening sequence individual characters are introduced by freeze frames showing the audience what type of characters are in the film; the idea of theme is not only introduced by the characters but by the theme on a whole being a British one, with the use of music, accents and stereotypes. The storyline is also introduced from the running monologue through out the opening sequence. settings where constantly introduced from the ever changing scene in the opening . Symbols where seen; things such as drugs, violence, crime etc.
My opinion on this opening sequence is that it is a good way to gain the interests of the audience the quick pace of the opening sequence makes the audience want to know more, want to know where the story leads. Out of the three opening sequences this is my favourite as it is put together well and drew me in, making me want to watch the film right until the end.

Opening Sequence 3: Sweeney Todd

Different to other opening sequences, as it was graphically created for credits and the title of the film. The style is portrayed by the music and symbols, the music sets up the idea of horror as well as the darkness of the created opening sequence. the events in the opening sequence link together to reveal the title of the film; the use of blood makes it more gruesome, and that blood could possibly be a symbol through out the film. There are no characters introduced conveying a sense of mystery not only in the opening sequence but making a possible theme in the film its self. The mechanical happening in the graphically created opening sequence could show the process of death,also being a possibly theme in the film.
My opinion on this opening sequence is the way that it has been created is very interesting and linking each part with another and combining credits and the film title well. The idea of mystery is good at creating the sense of horror about the film and maybe an idea i would like to recreate in my own creation of an opening sequence.