Props I wish to bring in and take photos of

BRICK

BAG

CANNED DRINK

CHAIR

PEN

List of things we still need to do

Camera Shot List

Shooting day equipment

Location for Study Base

Location for Andrew's home and Lee Bains home (Bathroom Killing)

Characters (Who's playing who)

Audience Research

Floor Plans

Opening title Storyboard

* (Italics means the task is complete)

Shooting day 4

Location

Andrew Francis Kitchen

Study Base

Script

Characters

Andrew Francis

Maria Francis

Props

Canned Drink

Gun

Diary

Costumes

Andrew Francis (Casual clothes)

Maria Francis (Smart Casual clothes)

*To show a reversal of power

Storyboard

Camera Shots

Audience feedback: Questions

In order to achieve a large audience and appeal on a bigger scale, we must interview a few people of the intended target audience. This will help with production and enable us to be more successful.

We will inform the person who we will be asking questions the concept and plot of the film. 

Note if male or female

1. What is your occupation?

2. What is your age?

3. Have you previously seen any short films?

4. If yes; What interested you in those films?

5. Do you think our film would work well as a short film?

6. What is your opinion on the plot of the film?

7. What do you think of the character of Andrew Francis and do you think he is a believable serial killer?

8. We have given the film a rating of 15; do you agree or disagree?

9. What genre of thriller films do you enjoy the most?

• Action
• Crime
• Psychological
• Conspiracy
• Other (please state)

10. Is the film appropriate to its genre?

11. Where would you expect this film to be displayed?

12. Are there any films you have seen which are similar to our film?

13. What kind of music and sound effects would you expect in a psychological thriller?

14. Would you be interested in seeing our film?

Shooting day 3

Location

Study Room

Eastgate Alleyway

Props

Study base Props - (Generally Desk, PC, Books etc.) Anything that makes it look like a study base.

Chair

Pen?

Diary

Bag

Script

Costumes

Clothes for Andrew Francis (smart casual clothes)

Laura May (Casual clothes)

Storyboard

Camera Shots

Shooting day 2

Location

Andrew Francis and Maria Francis's home

(Same location for Bathroom killing)

Props

Bag

Gun

Toilet

Sink

Plastic Bowl (underwater shot)

Script

Characters

Andrew Francis

Lee Bains

Costumes

Same smart/casual wear for Andrew Francis

Casual for Lee Bains

Storyboard

Camera Shots

Lists of things we still need to do

Camera Shot List

Shooting day equipment

Location for Study Base

Location for Andrew's home and Lee Bains home (Bathroom Killing)

Characters (Who's playing who)

Audience Research

Floor Plans

Opening title Storyboard

Shooting day 1

Scene 1- Study Base and alleyway killing

Props

Diary

Pen?

Chair

Study base Props - (Generally Desk, PC, Books etc.) Anything that makes it look like a study base.

Brick

Characters

Andrew Francis

Jenna Mansfield

Camera Shots

Script

Costumes

Storyboard

Clothes for Andrew Francis (smart casual clothes)

Jenna Mansfield (Casual clothes)

Ideas for our Opening title sequence

For our opening titles 'Killing Between the Lines' I have looked at the multi-media format 'Live Type' to research the different effects and formats we could use to make our film look visually effective brilliant.

This included effects such as:

A fade in, fade out

A swirl in

Drop Down

Writing in effect

Script draft 1 - Complete

Here is the complete first draft of the script for our film. This will later be assessed and amendments may need to be made. It is a mainly linear narrative with the use of flashback, which makes it really a non-linear narrative.  There is no relevance to time; only that there are events that have previously happened appear throughout the film in the form of flashback. The end of the narrative is when Maria kills Andrew, though the film continues to show her reading the diary which actually happened prior to the killing.

Credit and Title sequence Analysis

I am going to research a short film and a film; looking at how the credits and title sequence are visually presented to the audience, examine cinematography and mise-en-scence.

The 'Fly Tonight' sequence shows images really with many close-up shots, everything seems to be in the audiences face making them look at a certain object.

It shows the characters outlined in the film.

However this title sequence uses a colour filter throughout what we may in our opening sequence but these titles seem too bright and in your face for the type of genre in our film.

One thing i do like in this title sequence is the editing effect of a bright quick flash effect (flash edit) in changing the different visuals and camera shots.

Whereas the opening title sequence of' 'Se7en' would suit our film genre more, we both agree this opening title sequence is a massive influence on creating our own due to the cinematography it uses.

I like how the credits appear on the screen in small white font and slightly gets brighter. This would give our film the right theme for our genre. It makes it feel quite tense and because the font is small it makes it feel quite tense and the colour white lets the titles stand out brightly to the audience.

Cutting through extreme close-ups throughout the sequence gives it a quick jagged effect and gets the audience confused wondering if any of the props shown have any significance.

Also because our film is based on the theme of books we would like the focus on our title sequence to be based on the prop of the diary we are going to use.

Such examples would be in this title sequence of 'Se7en' like the pen writing on the paper and the page been turned over.

It will let the audience know what the film is going to be based on giving them an insight to the rest of the film. This is great cinematography that we could incoporate into Killing Between the Lines.

The non-diagetic sound used is rather beaty but stern; the sound we use for our opening titles will be very important to us as we would like to give our audience a similiar feel, to make them tense but excited setting the tone straight away.

This opening title sequence also uses a flash edit and red filter in parts. This coonoates to the audience there will be blood and death in the film. These are techniques we will wish to use, analysing this title sequence has really helped me.

Location Photographs

This is the location we wish to use where Laura May goes down the Citrus alleyway and Andrew Francis beats her to death with his fists however the camera will not shot this however this is what we intend the audience to believe.

Difficult Shots

The low-medium, side-shot at the bathroom killing scene. This will show Lee Bains in a side shot with the door opening. The camera will just partially be able to see Andrew Francis on the outside.

Floor Plans

Andrew Francis Home
Alleyway killing (Eastgate)

Bathroom Killing
Study Room
STUDY ROOM

Any props we wish to include extra in the room we shall detail later as we are not sure what props we need and which room location we want to film in.

Script progress

Here is the progress I have made for the script:

Scene 1

Scene 2

Scene 3

scene 4

Scene 5

Scene 6

There is still quite a bit to do, but I feel I'm making good progress. It will likely need to be amended, but I aim to have this done by next lesson.

More Props

CHAIR

For Andrew to sit in his study base.

BED

In Andrew and Maria's bedroom

BAG

To Andrew pack his things in and for second killing in bathroom.

TOILET

In Bathroom

SINK

When Andrew puts Lee's head in, to shoot her.

PLASTIC BOWL

Under water shot in bathroom.

CANNED DRINK

Andrew gets out of fridge at the climax of our film.

Location Photographs

This is the location we wish to use at Barnsley, Eastgate where Andrew kills his victim Laura May for just nudging him in the street; showing the audience when Andrew's health started to become really unstable.

Risk Assessment

Film Title

We have decided to use our film title:

'Killing Between The Lines'

Storyboard - Second Killing

3rd page

Camera Shot - Close-up shot side shot

Script - His hand putting his hand in the sink.

Audio - Louder Tenser Music

Shot - Close up under water shot

Script - We intend to put someones head in a bowl of water and film from underneath.

Audio: Music gets louder

Shot: Extreme close-up

Script: His hand on the gun against his body ready to shoot. "Your finished!"

Audio: Music stops for tension

Shot: Screen blacks out

Audio: Sound effect of gun firing.

2nd
Shot: Side Shot

Script: Lee bains looking down at pipes with Andrew further away in background blurred out. Lee, "Can't understand whats wrong with these pipes!?"

Audio: Diagetic dialogue

Shot: Close up

Script: Red filter for gun. Blurry in background again.

Audio: Non diagetic tense music

Shot: Quick fast paced, Close-up of gun in back and medium shot. Panned quickly, blurry to sink.

Script: Lee, "AHHHH!"

Audio: Non-Diagetic fast paced music.

Side: Medium Shot

Script: Andrew, "It's payback time!"

Audio: Louder non-diagetic music.

1st

Shot: Close-up

Script: N/A

Audio: Sound of knocking

Shot: Low-angle side-shot

Script: The camera is placed so you see Lee Bains inside and partly Andrew outside the door. "Hello I'm Andrew, I've been told yo've been having a problem with your pipes?"

Lee, "Yes, please come in."

Shot: Medium shot. camera focused on bag.

Script: Shows part of the gun hanging out of his bag.

Blurred background and red filter on prop of gun.

Audio: N/A

Shot: Long Shot

Script: Andrew following Lee to bathroom.

Lee, "Its just through here."

Audio: Diagetic dialogue.

We may wish to make amendments to part of this plot later, if we wish.

Storyboard draft - Second Killing

I have started drafting my storyboard for the scene killing of Lee Bains by Andrew in the bathroom. I am hoping for a variation of shots to make tension and suspense for our audience.

Location ideas

Here are the locations we are planning to use to film.

Ginnel near Citrus rooms, Barnsley

Here we will use the scene where he kills a young girl - following her down the ginnel. We chose this as it's a secluded area and would be ideal for a murder sequence. It is quite narrow and does not allow the girl much room to move and gives more of a feel of being trapped and helpless. 

Under the bridge near Alhambra shopping centre, Barnsley


This is where the initial flashbacks of the girl occurs, where Andrew follows the girl down the tunnel (seen at the beginning of the film). This is another ideal area for a murder sequence as it's another area which may seem quite secluded at a later time and the tunnels in the dark give a creepy feel, especially under the tunnels where it gives another feel of being trapped.

Office in college


This will be used as the study room where Andrew writes in his diary and at the end where his wife finds the diary and reads it. As it's an office, it will need to be made to look more of a study room.

Bathroom, in a house


Here is where the sequence where he poses as a plumber and kills the girl in the bathroom. This is chosen to emphasise his unstable mentality that he is willing to pose as a plumber just to murder someone.

Kitchen, in a house


This is the sequence where Andrew is shot by his wife. This is to add more to the shock of the killing as it's in a neutral room and he is getting a drink from the fridge.

Character Profiles

Name: Jenna Mansfield

Gender: Female

Age: 20

Occupation: Office Clerk

This woman worked with Andrew but in a higher role in her occupation. She is now dead, due to Andrew's jealousy and hatred of her role. She constantly mocked his life calling him worthless making him feel as though he has no significance in his life. All of this mocking led to Andrew's mental health problems and his first killing in the alleyway near the alhambra.

Film poster research

This is the film poster for the psychological thriller 'American Psycho', this is an interesting and relevant poster to our film.  Our film like American Psycho, centres around a serial killer. This poster  focuses on the main character and shows his criminal side with a knife in his hand.  This may influence how I make a poster and I could use the idea to show the main character is a similar pose.

This is the promotional poster for the film 'The Machinist'. This is another psychological thriller. This poster shows that there is an aim for the character through the top line and gives mystery with the 'hangman' on the post-it note. This is a clever idea and I may use something similar in my own poster, such as giving a line which gives an effect of suspense and allows for a possible twist at the end of the film.

Camera Shots

The film will start with the camera having a Medium Side Shot of Andrew; as the camera Pans round him to a -

Tilted Close-up Shot of the camera looking up at Andrew writing in his diary; in his study room.

The camera Cuts to a Medium Shot of Andrew writing in his diary.

We then create A Shot-reverse shot between these two as Andrew narrates the part of the story.

The camera then moves slowly towards the diary as a quick flash of white light; with a sound effect of lightning, moves to our next filming location.

The camera pans round our location near the alhambra centre. Until the camera stops panning when it spots Jenna and Zooms slightly towards her, giving the impression that Andrew was searching for her.

The camera Cuts to a Low-angle Medium shot of Jenna walking then with Quick-fast paced Cuts of Extreme-Close Ups of Jenna looking scared and Close up shots of Andrews feet walking. The camera then stays in a Still Composition as Jenna walks around into the alleyway.

It now Cuts to a close-up of Andrew's hand with the pen in his hand shaking.

Then Cuts to a Extreme Close-up of Andrew's eyes.

This is a draft of our first scene which we will look to develop, possibly even changing a few shots later.

Props

The props we intend to use in our film is:

A DIARY/BOOK

This is for Andrew Francis to write his thoughts and ideas in. We will probably use a ordinary cheap book as a prop of this.

A BRICK

For andrew's first murder weapon at the beginning of a film.

A PEN

For Andrew to write with.

STUDY ROOM; Props Include - Computer chair, desk, any props that make it look and feel like a study room rather than an office to our audience. We will probably borrow an office in college and use props to transform our filming location.

A GUN

Another murder weapon for Maria to kill Andrew with at the climax of our film. Also when Andrew kills Lee in the bathroom.

I shall add photographs of these props later and more props as our film idea develops.

Radio Ideas

I know that sometime during our coursework we are going to produce a radio advert to advertise our upcoming 'Working title' film. Therefore I have started to come up with some ideas of the type of 'Key Elements' we are going to need to sell our film to our wide audience:

1) Most radio advertisements have a voiceover narration giving the audience an idea of

the plot.

2) The music behind this narration is usually tense making the audience feel tense whilst listening.

3) It gives positive feedback from expertise review companies. eg, '5 star' 'Tensest film in 2011'

4) It gives 'highlight' quotes from the actual film that create mystery for the audience.

5) It tells the audience the name of the film and release date mostly at the end of the advertisement.

I would like to include some elements of this in our own and possibly listen to some examples closer to the time.

Also possibly distributing the advert near primetime as this is when our audience is most likely to pay and watch our film.

Finally I would like to pay and advertise our advert on a big radio station such as, 'Capital FM' and 'BBC RADIO 1 ' as this is a wide range of stations that the whole UK listen to.

Film Rating

Looking at The British Board of Film Classification we are looking for them to rate our film as a '15' only suitable for 15 years and older.

This is for:

Violence

Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be accepted. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is unlikely to be accepted. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.

Language

There may be frequent use of strong language. The strongest terms may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be accepted.

Horror

Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic or sexualised.

Imitable Behaviour

Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamourised.

Therefore we should expect a rating of '15'

Source used:

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/classification/guidelines/15-2/

Banner- working progress

This is the company logo for our company. It is working progress as the background colour doesn't fit with the colour scheme of the blog.

I chose the name PsychFilms, as our company will be producing psychological thrillers and the knife with the red 'P' is to represent the killer/horror side of the films, red is fitting as it mimics blood.

Script progress

So far we have just left the film titled as "Working title" due to being undecided on the actual title of the film. We have got this between a couple of choices, 'Killing between the lines' and 'Silent Reading'.

So far, we have done the first chapter of the script. It has two locations within it, primarily in his study room in his house and in the tunnels near the roundabout outside Alhambra for the flashbacks.

Distribution Company

We would like our film to be distributed by the company in our Barnsley college; as they are going to give sponsorship to our 'Psyche film' and a prize IF we produce the best film. However we need to wait for a response from them and confirmation for this to come through.

Example of how we intend to use Colour Filters

In our film we intend to shoot the film in black and white to create an 'urban' thriller effect. An example of this would be in the film, 'Schineders List' 1993. This is to indicate significant objects or characters to the audience; to create suspense and mystery as to why we have coloured filtered a particular 'thing.'

We have changed our minds on the 'silent film' idea. As we want the audience to feel more tense and having sound we feel, would add to this effect.

Film Idea Feedback

The feedback we got for our film idea was very positive which we are very happy with. We have feedback from a wide range of people eg gender and age, therefore it's looking like our production will appeal to a wide audience. The feedback we got of 'expanding' the wife's thought we may include some narrative of Maria reading the diary however because the film isn't based on this character; we wish to not confuse the audience on who the main 'protagonist' is.