Research and Planning: Test filming

This morning I have been out testing locations where I will be filming the flashbacks, I had to go out early to avoid passengers at the trainstation I now know what the good times for filming are so I'll be filming the real thing next weekend.

Research and Planning: Props

I have got together all of the props I will need including what I listed on the previous post and a mask to cover the actors mouth. I now am going to start some designs for a few emergency posters which will be in the trailer.

Research and Planning: Risk assesment form

I have created some risk assessment forms for each of my locations, in these I have included possible difficulties which I might find when I begin filming.
Garage

 Park

 Trainstation

Research and Planning: Location recces

I have taken some photographs of the locations I'll be filming, so I have filled out some location recce forms.

Research and Planning: Storyboard

This is a more updated version of my storyboard which I am using to plan my current film.

Research and Planning: Publication Plan

Publication Plan on Prezi

Research and Planning: Draft of a magazine cover

I have created a quick draft for my magazine cover, I have scanned it in and I will use it when I come to create the magazine. I have followed conventions with the masthead along the top and on it are typical things you would find such as sub stories, I will include an image of the main character from far away to advertise the film and add mystery.

Research and Planning: Magazine covers

The first magazine cover I have chosen to analyse is a cover for Empire magazine, I have chose this specific cover because the main feature on it is I am Legend, a film which has inspired me.These are some of the things I have noticed about the genre representation:

• On this cover Will Smith is covered in a thick fog, there are some shapes which can't be properly seen behind him, and this makes it mysterious.
• The character also looks weak but is carrying a gun which suggests survival.
• The picture doesn't really say much about the film and I like how it acts more as a teaser as there isn't as much said as the posters for the film which show the location etc.
  

Some of the typical conventions of this magazine are:

• On the magazine there are a lot of subheadings advertising what is in the magazine.
• The header is in big red letters so it's easy to see.
• Above this it says 'BEST WINTER PREVIEW EVER!' which is another draw for the audience.
• Along the bottom are shots from films which are inside the magazine.
• To differentiate the different sub headers they alternate in colour from red to white.
• The target range for this magazine is very broad with films for adults like Rambo and I am Legend being advertised but also The Golden Compass and the big bright fonts may attract younger readers.
  
• There is a barcode and a date and price.
  

The second magazine I have chosen is Empire magazine featuring a Terminator Salvation cover, while this isn't the genre I wanted it does have a similar feel with the survival and a destroyed earth. There are some things I like about how the genre is represented:

• I really like the brown colours used they show that there isn't any colour left in the world and nothing to hope for since everything is muddy.
• The is a close up of the main character it's only half though so it adds uncertainty about him.

The magazines layout is much like the previous magazine I have discussed:

• The big red font attracts the audience, especially against the brown background.
• There are less sub stories than the other, there's a bigger focus on the main story.
• There are shots of other films featured along the bottom.
  

Research and Planning: Location photographs

Yesterday I went out to take some photographs of the locations I may decide to use, you can see them below. I'll be filming in these locations in the next couple of days.

Research and Planning: Micro elements

In my trailer I will be in charge of all elements being Mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing and sound.

Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene is going to be my most important element, I am going to be concentrating on trying make the garage look messy and disused, as the main character will not be very well visible I won't be concentrating on him so much but I will make an effort to find suitable dark clothes.

Cinematography

Cinematography will have to be interesting because it will mainly be shot in the same place apart from the cutaways. In the cut away I'll have to make the environments interesting otherwise the audience will be bored looking at them. The camera will be placed in different positions around the character to give different perspectives of the workbench.

Editing

Editing in the trailer will be slow paced, the shots of the character will fade to black when he marks the map and the shots of other environments come on the screen. Then these will fade out again and it their will be another shot of the character in the garage.

Sound

There will be a narrative from the character which will be in a voice over. In the shots of the environments there will be an atmospheric sound which will stop when it goes back to a shot of the character. At the end of the trailer I may put in some music when it comes to the conclusion and he says what he's going to be doing, this may fade back to the atmospheric sound when the title of the film comes on the screen.

Research and Planning: Plan for the rest of the week

By the end of the week I'm hoping to have done these things:

• Have a title and font for my film ready.
• I'll have decided on my locations and taken photographs of them.
• Use the photographs to begin planning a poster.
  
• Collected the props I will need.
• Begin filming.
  

Research and Planning: Conventions of a film poster

To make my poster look like a film poster I will have to follow the typical conventions of a film poster. The poster will have to tell a story through both the picture and the tag line but it will still have to hold some mystery. To follow the typical conventions of a horror poster my poster will probably be dark, and like a typical apocalypse poster my hero will be standing alone in the centre of the poster alone (28 Days Later), but this isn't just seen in posters when the character is the last one on earth, films which feature outsiders also have these kind of posters, an example being Watchmen.

In most film posters the title of the film is big so the audience can't see it, the tag line is beneath is and lets the audience know what it's about in a short line. In horror films there are not normally the names of stars because big stars don't usually do horror films as the audience are attracted by how scary it is. A date is also necessary so the audience know when it will be released.

Research and Planning: Poster analysis

I think this is a great poster for the genre and I will take inspiration from it when I'm planning my poster. I like how the character is small but central against the background as if it's swallowing him up and closing in around him. By walking alone it shows that he is the last one left with the dog as his only companion. To shock the audience their is a well known landmark destroyed behind him, seeing something familiar destroyed will make them feel uncomfortable, it may also show that the characters only escape back to civilization is destroyed. I like the colours of the poster, they're like a sunset which is just before the vampires come out in the film, they also give the impression that there is not much colour left in the world since the outbreak. The tag line 'The Last Man On Earth Is Not Alone' gives the audience an idea of what the film is about, as the actor is a big star his name is along the top and bigger than any other text on the poster. The name of the film is smaller with the production names beneath and the release date beneath that.

Research and Planning: Third plan

I have changed my idea again and thought of another plan for my teaser trailer, it's still going to be a zombie film although it's going to be more about the character, with less emphasis on the zombies. In this trailer there is a man in a garage, he is at a desk with a lamp on the desk which is resting on a lamp. There is a voice over spoken by him as he explains his situation, he is looking for a drug which will stop him from turning into a zombie and as he mentions an area he could get it he marks it with a pen and a shot of it is shown on screen after seeing three or four of these he decides he needs to head to a danger zone, he stabs the map with his knife and an over the shoulder shot shows him cocking his gun, rock music is playing while he does this. The name of the film comes on the screen and there's an atmospheric sound.

Research and Planning: Props and costumes

I have created a list of props and costumes I'll need when creating my teaser trailer these things I already have access to or I'm planning on buying.

• Children's toy - In the shot of the park there will be a children's toy lay on the floor, this will show it's been quickly deserted and unsettle the audience.
• Map - I will be using the map in the scenes with the hero, it will be marked with marker pens which he has drawn on.
• Marker pens - I will be able to provide my own marker pens to lie next to the map the hero will use them.
• Knife - The hero will use the knife to stab a marker onto the map.
• Lamp - A lamp will light up the workbench he is working on, I'm planning on this being the only source of light to light up his arms.
• Gun - I may need to buy a toy gun to hold in a holster, in the dark this will look realistic.
• Black clothes - The main character will be wearing black clothes, I'll be able to provide these.
• Tape - I'll be using tape in my trailer because the character will be working with it.
• Tools - I may be using a selection of tools like hammers and nails.
  

Research and Planning: Equipment and software

This is a list of equipment and software I am going to be using during this project:

Equipment

• Video camera - To film my trailer.
  
• Digital camera - To take photographs for my magazine and poster.
• Mac - I will work on a mac when I'm at college.

Software

• Photoshop - I will use Photoshop to create my poster and magazine.

• Garageband - I will use Garageband to create music and edit the sound.

• iMovie and Final cut express - I will use these at college when I'm creating my trailer.

When I'm working at home I'll be using different software:

• PC - I will work on my PC when I'm at home
• GIMP - GIMP is an image editing software, similar to Photoshop. I will use it to edit the poster and the magazine.

• Windows Movie Maker - If I need to edit something at home I will use Windows Movie Maker but if I will try to do all of my editing at college since Windows Movie Maker is very basic.

Research and Planning: Storyboard

I have created a rough draft of a storyboard to accompany my initial idea, my idea has altered but I was expecting it to when I come to draw it out.

Research and planning: Production schedule

I have used Microsoft Excel to create a production schedule which will help me keep my work on track. I have typed in what I will be doing and coloured squares which represent the dates, by looking at this I will be able to look at this to see what I should be doing to stay on track.

Research and Planning: Cinema

I have been on a trip to the cinema to watch the trailers before the movie and maybe use them for further inspiration. Unfortunately due to the age rating of the film the trailers were not a similar genre to the one I'm going to be making my trailer for but it's still good research.

The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet is an action comedy so the editing of this trailer was very fast paced. There is rock music playing over the action and the music cuts on the punchline of a joke which is common for a trailer of a comedy.




Due Date
Due Date is a comedy but unlike the Green Hornet the editing isn't quite as quick until about mid way through when a quick edited montage results in a blackout from a car crash. The jokes are much more played out in this trailer.

Research and Planning: Sound

In my last lesson I created a song on Garage Band which has prepared me for creating sound for my trailer. In this sound clip I have used three different types of music you might find in an action movie, which was the movie I had been given.