Production Log 1 - 20/6/16

Posted by Ryan Allen - A Level Media Monday 20 June 2016

Me and Tyler sat down to begin discussing ideas for our short film, Tyler suggested that we do an action short film, however I informed him that it would require lots of props and effects to make it successful, and that it would be too difficult for a group of two people. So i suggested that we do a comedy as it's less defendant on special effects and props relying on the actors to help us create comedy. Tyler pointed out to me that many scripted comedy films aren't as funny as the jokes feel force upon the audience, he continued to say that most good comedy films let the actors improvise their lines and jokes, this puts too much dependence on the actors and makes it harder for to demonstrate our abilities in media and short films. I pointed out that I like thrillers because of his first point being an action short film, however neither of us had much experience with thriller which led us to agree on a horror, both me and Tyler both enjoy horror movies and are aware of the many conventions used in horror films.
We decide to stick with Horror as our genre and began discussing possible ideas such as the location begin an abandoned house, woods or even cemetery.

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Task List 1

1. Write a film analysis for LoveField; focus on the RAILING concepts for the film – be careful not to write this as a chronological description of what happens in the film, what we want to see is where the concepts are identified with examples given from moments in the film to help justify each point.

2. Write a film analysis for Blood and Chips; focus on the RAILING concepts for the film – be careful not to write this as a chronological description of what happens in the film, what we want to see is where the concepts are identified with examples given from moments in the film to help justify each point.

3. Film Research – Genre research; Begin to research a variety (at least 3) Film genres that you are particularly interested in producing for your short films. Look at the following; generic conventions, typical audience, classics, remakes, most successful, vs least successful, SFx (if any), mise-en-scene. Reflect on what you have found and how it is helping you shape your ideas.

4. Initial Ideas – What genre have you decided on? What are your initial thoughts and ideas for a short film? Blog this.

5. Production log: Meeting 1 – You must discuss in your groups what ideas you have got, you must indicate who contributed what in your meeting. This will act as a summary for your tasks and you must indicate what genre you have chosen and why and what you will be doing next to develop idea planning.

6. Film Research - You need to take photos of a doll, toy or friend that can stand on its own from different angles, shots and movement. Upload your photos and videos to your blog with an explanation for each one, what do they show? How can they use a variety of these shots in your short film? Which shots are stereotypical used in your chosen genre?

7. Film Research - Create a montage of what you consider conventions for your chosen genre of film. Explain on your blog why you have picked them. How have they inspired your ideas?

8. Film Research - Research at least 3 different short films in the genre you have agreed as a group that you will produce. (Analyse; mise-en-scene, sound, editing, camera shots/angles, conventions and audience appeal) Remember – be careful not to write this as a chronological description of what happens in the film, what we want to see is where the concepts are identified with examples given from moments in the film to help justify each point.

9. Film Research - Investigate narrative theories (Propp, Todorov, Levi Straus etc.), find an interesting way of presenting them and blog it.

10. Audience research – who is your target audience? (create a questionnaire with questions about their film consumption)

11. Audience research – Analyse and evaluate your questionnaire results.

12. Audience Research – research which short films your audience think are good, what attracts your audience to films and what puts them off? Blog your findings. (Conduct Vox Pops).

13. Audience Research - Go to http://www.uktribes.com and http://www.findyourtribe.co.uk and use them to define your perfect audience member. (Have some fun and find out what tribe you are too). Create a complete picture of your audience member, from clothes to the food they eat, music they listen to, TV shows they watch, magazines they read etc. You can get a friend to dress up in the appropriate costume and take photos.

14. Audience Research - Go to the ‘Pearl and Dean’ website, look at the audience section http://business.pearlanddean.com/audience_profile and investigate how they categorise their audiences. Can you fit your short film to their ideas?

15. Institution research - Research the companies that might produce and distribute your short film. Justify your reasons on your blog.

16. Summarise your research - Define the key conventions you must include in your film opening sequence to conform to the expectations of the genre you have chosen, the audience you have chosen and what is expected of a film opening sequence. Make a check list.

17. Create a story arc for the whole of your film; write a brief synopsis. Remember most films have 5 ‘acts’, and most conform to normal narrative theories.

18. Summarise your final short film idea

19. Write your script for your short film sequence using Celtx. Get your peers to read through it, post it on social media and get some feedback. Blog!

20. Create a shot list.

21. Design a storyboard.

22. Plan the sound of your short film– are you having a soundtrack, or just Foley sounds? Blog where you’ve found your sound and why you have chosen what you have.

23. Create a shooting schedule.

24. Plan locations and take location shots. Blog your reasons for choosing these locations. Seek permission to use the locations.

25. Cast your short film and take casting shots. Blog your reasons for casting who you have.

26. Plan and collect all props and costumes. Blog your reasons for choosing the ones you have.

27. Shoot your short film.

28. Make a rough edit and check that you have all the shots you need.

29. Film Research – research film titles used in your chosen genre.

30. Do any re-shoots and pickups needed.

31. Film Research – watch tutorials on film titles (www.videocopiolet.co.uk) print screen the progression of two or three. What tools are used? Blog this evidence.

32. Design a storyboard for your film titles.

33. Create your film titles using After Effects.

34. Complete final edit.

35. Post your finished short film to your blog.

Task List 2

Pick two of the following three options:

· a poster for the film;

· a radio trailer for the film;

· a film magazine review page featuring the film.

(There should be at least one blog post about each stage)

1. Research film posters. Come up with a list of conventions – things you will need to include.

2. Research film magazine review pages featuring films. Come up with a list of conventions – things you will need to include.

3. Create a collage of what you consider conventions for your chosen genre of film poster (same genre for your film). Explain on your blog why you have picked them. How have they inspired your ideas?

4. Create a collage of what you consider conventions for magazine film reviews (same genre for your film). Explain on your blog why you have picked them. How have they inspired your ideas?

5. Research at least 3 different film magazine reviews. (Analyse layout, conventions, audience appeal and images)

6. Research at least 3 different film posters. (Analyse layout, conventions, audience appeal and images)

7. Blog some initial ideas for your own film magazine review.

8. Blog some initial ideas for your own film poster.

9. Pick a film magazine review and film poster that is similar to your idea, annotate the pages explaining why they are appealing and what you can take from them as inspiration.

10. Audience Research – research which film magazine reviews people think are good, what attracts people to them to films and what puts them off? Blog your findings. (Conduct Vox Pops).

11. Audience Research – research which film posters people think are good, what attracts people to them to film poster and what puts them off? Blog your findings. (Conduct Vox Pops).

12. Go to the ‘Empire’ website, look at the audience section http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/uploads/Empire-MediaPack-20111.pdf and investigate how they categorise their audiences. Can you fit your magazine film review to their ideas?

13. Research the magazines that might produce and distribute your film review. Justify your reasons on your blog.

14. Define the key conventions you must include on your magazine film review. In order to conform to the expectations of a magazine film review, the audience you have chosen and what is expected of a magazine film review. Make a check list.

15. Define the key conventions you must include on your film poster. In order to conform to the expectations of a film poster, the audience you have chosen and what is expected of a film poster. Make a check list.

16. Create 3 flat plans for your magazine film review. Annotate.

17. Create 3 flat plans for your film poster. Annotate.

18. Audience research -

19. Summarise your final magazine review idea. Blog it.

20. Summarise your final film poster idea. Blog it.

21. Take photographs for your magazine film review and film poster of a model/s that you can use. At least 5 different images that are excellent quality.

22. Plan and collect all hair, make up and costumes. Blog your reasons for choosing the ones you have.

23. Make a first draft of your magazine film review.

24. Make a first draft of your film poster

25. Do any re-shoots and pickups needed.

26. Complete final drafts.

27. Post your finished magazine film review to your blog.

28. Post your finished film poster to your blog.

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