Saturday, 30 April 2016
My Video Comparisons - Beginning, Middle and End of the Course
Preliminary - Induction Task and Continuity Project
Media Induction from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Continuity Project from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Redone Continuity Project from Chris Earl on Vimeo.
Final Opening Sequence
FINAL FINAL FINAL YES from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Media Induction from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Continuity Project from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Redone Continuity Project from Chris Earl on Vimeo.
Final Opening Sequence
FINAL FINAL FINAL YES from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Evaluation Question 7
Looking back at your preliminary task, what have your learnt in the progression from that to the final product?
Evaluation Question 7 from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Evaluation Question 7 from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Evaluation Question 6
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?
Camera
The Canon PowerShot was used to film my piece and many of my other pieces. Given that I have little experience with cameras, I found it very simple and easy to use – with functions being clearly indicated on the screen. It was relatively light, making travel to shooting locations and handheld shots easy.
Additionally, the quality of shots were reasonably good: the camera worked well in natural lighting and even artificial lighting; the quality was only really grainy in poorly lit areas – as highlighted by my Numbers video, where I used a small camera flashlight for lighting.
Furthermore, the best setting seemed to be the Auto setting, however this led to a few shots suddenly becoming really dark depending on the object in focus.
Audio
Another issue I found with the camera was its audio. Sound on
clips from the PowerShot were typically muffled or didn’t make the dialogue in
scenes particularly loud; the wind, traffic and other background noise were
often too loud or attributed to the quiet dialogue. To counter this, I recorded
audio on my iPhone 4S in the Memo app – either during the shoot or in
post-production, however the post-production recordings were typically for
narration purposes or in the case of the government official character.
The character was played by Oscar Gilley, who also played the reporter, therefore it may have been confusing if both characters sounded the same, plus the gasmask would have affected his ability to clearly speak.
Tripod
The tripod was very useful for the establishing shots and for
most of the panning shots earlier in my final piece. In my earlier videos, I
struggled to pan smoothly given the stiffness of the tripod however I learned
how to loosen it for the final shoot, making my panning shots smoother. Overall
it was lightweight and easy to carry and adjust, making it ideal (like the
camera) for traveling to the location of the shoot.
I used Flash in order to create my production studio logo
animation, this choice was mainly due to how I have experience with Flash –
having done an independent animation project before – and how it seemed like a
realistic way in which an amateur/indie film studio would create their logo.
I aimed to make an indie film opening sequence, even choosing a less-mainstream distributor (Lionsgate).
Editing
Editing was equally one of the more fun and frustrating parts
of the overall process; I started the project with no filming or editing
experience, although my skills have improved since my induction task and
preliminary task. In my earlier work, my shots seemed prematurely cut which
made my work seem awkward or not as well-connected as it could be – my audio
and clips would often feel delayed. I learned how to re-size the timeline so I
could make more accurate cuts to footage, in order to avoid this issue.
Lastly, I used audio effects with the gasmask-wearing government official. I recorded the audio myself but could not create and clear yet echoed voice with practical effects (attempting to use a cup and covering my mouth with my hands); I used the Phaser effect to make the dialogue appear more echoed – as if it was coming from someone wearing a gasmask – by changing the settings with the Rate at 2.20, the Depth at 0.0% and keeping the LFO type as Sine.
The second clip shown is, again, a transition between two. However, I am proud of it as it is stock footage of riots and I filmed them playing on a computer screen – to make them appear more like old footage/mobile footage, like in Dawn of the Dead – which allowed me to whip pan away from the screen, I then combined these two whip pans to make a whip pan transition; Edgar Wright, who filmed Shaun of the Dead, is a big fan of whip pan transitions and so I wished to apply this transition in my film due to this association with Shaun of the Dead – I also included a whip pan transition earlier in my final video during the interrogation scene.
As for the low angle tilt, I feel that it is a great shot for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the close up on the survivor’s motionless hand helps to indicate he is dead – without needing any blood/gore or special effects (see my Evaluation Question 2 for an explanation); as the camera is tilted upwards, the low angle of Dan and Neil relates back to the dead survivor, indicating the power they have in the situation. Secondly, it is a two shot where they both take up the same amount of the shot suggesting their equality, with the mise-en-scene showing the differences between them (i.e. one is a zombie and one is human) adds to this idea of equality as I intended for them to be friends – so this shot helps establish their relationship, with Dan killing for Neil to eat. Ultimately this particular shot links back to the final one, in terms of offering insight into Dan and Neil’s friendship.
Hardware
I used: a Canon PowerShot SX510, a lightweight travel tripod, an iPhone 4S.
CameraThe Canon PowerShot was used to film my piece and many of my other pieces. Given that I have little experience with cameras, I found it very simple and easy to use – with functions being clearly indicated on the screen. It was relatively light, making travel to shooting locations and handheld shots easy.
Additionally, the quality of shots were reasonably good: the camera worked well in natural lighting and even artificial lighting; the quality was only really grainy in poorly lit areas – as highlighted by my Numbers video, where I used a small camera flashlight for lighting.
Furthermore, the best setting seemed to be the Auto setting, however this led to a few shots suddenly becoming really dark depending on the object in focus.
Audio
Another issue I found with the camera was its audio. Sound on
clips from the PowerShot were typically muffled or didn’t make the dialogue in
scenes particularly loud; the wind, traffic and other background noise were
often too loud or attributed to the quiet dialogue. To counter this, I recorded
audio on my iPhone 4S in the Memo app – either during the shoot or in
post-production, however the post-production recordings were typically for
narration purposes or in the case of the government official character.The character was played by Oscar Gilley, who also played the reporter, therefore it may have been confusing if both characters sounded the same, plus the gasmask would have affected his ability to clearly speak.
I found that the iPhone managed to produce good quality
audio, presumably because its microphone is also used for phone calls.
Recording the audio on a different bit of equipment helped to separate the
files – this made editing audio easier to manage as I could layer it, cut it or
add effects (as I did with the gasmask character’s audio file).
Tripod
The tripod was very useful for the establishing shots and for
most of the panning shots earlier in my final piece. In my earlier videos, I
struggled to pan smoothly given the stiffness of the tripod however I learned
how to loosen it for the final shoot, making my panning shots smoother. Overall
it was lightweight and easy to carry and adjust, making it ideal (like the
camera) for traveling to the location of the shoot.
Despite using it for some shots, I felt more comfortable
using the camera handheld; I believe the slight movement in the camera adds to
the immersion for the viewer, plus it makes the scene feel more lively when
appropriate – as with the riot footage, to make it appear as if it was a camera
actually at the riot, or with the Dan and Neil scenes which were more action
packed.
Software
I used: Adobe Premiere Pro CS6, Adobe Flash CS5
Logo
Logo
I used Flash in order to create my production studio logo
animation, this choice was mainly due to how I have experience with Flash –
having done an independent animation project before – and how it seemed like a
realistic way in which an amateur/indie film studio would create their logo.I aimed to make an indie film opening sequence, even choosing a less-mainstream distributor (Lionsgate).
Editing
Editing was equally one of the more fun and frustrating parts
of the overall process; I started the project with no filming or editing
experience, although my skills have improved since my induction task and
preliminary task. In my earlier work, my shots seemed prematurely cut which
made my work seem awkward or not as well-connected as it could be – my audio
and clips would often feel delayed. I learned how to re-size the timeline so I
could make more accurate cuts to footage, in order to avoid this issue.
Notably the software included various video and audio
effects, even transitions. I experimented with a number of the software’s
features and feel confident using it now. It is quite easy to learn how to use
the software, at least with help on explaining how certain functions work. My
final piece used some fading transitions, wipe transitions and many video
effects: I changed the colour and saturation of many of the clips, using Fast
Color Corrector, in order to make them seem colder and more grey/faded to fit
the post-apocalyptic theme and add to the nihilism indicated throughout (given
the dire context of the main characters’ situation); I would edit the Fast
Color Corrector to have the Balance Magnitude at 18.00, Balance Angle at 40.00,
and the Balance Gain and Saturation at 45.00. These settings didn’t look too
heavily faded/edited, which was my intention given that I wanted the film to
have a sense of realism; adding the effect was extremely time consuming as I
had to edit each individual clip.
I edited the setting of the Wave Warp effect using keyframes,
to almost ‘animate’ a new transition from scratch, this was often used on text
to mimic the blood-spraying effect as seen in the Dawn of the Dead (2004) film
opening credits – I used the effect on videos to help it seem more distorted or
like static footage, helping with the transitions to/from static footage. I
would often experiment with higher or lower wavelengths in the effects settings
and keeping to the Smooth Noise wave type: using keyframes to change the wave
length from 40 to lower and raise the wave height throughout certain clips,
other clips would appear more ‘jumpy’ than ‘static’ if the settings were too
high or too low in either case; the settings were opposite with the text, the
wave height going from high to low (into the negative settings) and back to the
standard 0 while the wave width stayed the same.
Lastly, I used audio effects with the gasmask-wearing government official. I recorded the audio myself but could not create and clear yet echoed voice with practical effects (attempting to use a cup and covering my mouth with my hands); I used the Phaser effect to make the dialogue appear more echoed – as if it was coming from someone wearing a gasmask – by changing the settings with the Rate at 2.20, the Depth at 0.0% and keeping the LFO type as Sine.
Overall I would say that the software has a lot more to offer
than Windows Movie Maker which I used for my first ever video, additionally
Premiere is relatively easy to use and pick up. My audio is easier to balance
too, notably in the video where I used Movie Maker I had to keep the camera
audio during the zooming clip (where you will notice a tapping noise) however
Premier allowed me to mute clips where appropriate.
Did you
realise so much work went into creating similar media products?
I realised that creating films was difficult however I’ve
never experienced such a challenge as creating my final piece. Editing was time
consuming but I was willing to take time out of lesson to better my work,
taking on feedback and willing to develop my opening sequence and its ideas.
While my final piece credits many people, I simply added their names in to
adhere to the conventions of credits, to make it seem more professional I
included other names – given that I wrote, directed, produced, cast, filmed
and edited the film myself.
Notably I struggled to manage everything on my own, making it
a huge relief when I did find support and people to take on other jobs (props,
costumes, music, acting). I understand, now, how important it is for
professional filmmakers to produce films with a team of people – to share the
work and manage it better. Despite this revelation, I certainly felt as if I
had better control over my film, managing my time and keeping to my own ideas
in order to create a great final piece; perhaps working by committee would have
been easier, however I liked having the control over the quality of my work –
not necessarily willing to trust others with specific tasks.
Shots I am
proud of:
There are a couple of shots that I am particularly proud of.
The majority of them are shots that have particularly smooth transitions, for
the most part the blending of the video effects into static footage really
works in my opinion – makes the clips look as if they were old footage that’s
damaged, as it would be in a post-apocalyptic world. Particularly the last clip
in the video below, transitions from a wide shot I did to the title credit. The
size of the waves in the effect slowly become more similar through my use of
multiple keyframes. I couldn’t create a scratching of the ‘D’ into the title,
which I felt would have been appropriate given that it’s one of the many zombie
attacks, and so I settled for a similar static distortion effect – I would
change this if I were to redo the project/had more time.
The second clip shown is, again, a transition between two. However, I am proud of it as it is stock footage of riots and I filmed them playing on a computer screen – to make them appear more like old footage/mobile footage, like in Dawn of the Dead – which allowed me to whip pan away from the screen, I then combined these two whip pans to make a whip pan transition; Edgar Wright, who filmed Shaun of the Dead, is a big fan of whip pan transitions and so I wished to apply this transition in my film due to this association with Shaun of the Dead – I also included a whip pan transition earlier in my final video during the interrogation scene.
As for the low angle tilt, I feel that it is a great shot for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the close up on the survivor’s motionless hand helps to indicate he is dead – without needing any blood/gore or special effects (see my Evaluation Question 2 for an explanation); as the camera is tilted upwards, the low angle of Dan and Neil relates back to the dead survivor, indicating the power they have in the situation. Secondly, it is a two shot where they both take up the same amount of the shot suggesting their equality, with the mise-en-scene showing the differences between them (i.e. one is a zombie and one is human) adds to this idea of equality as I intended for them to be friends – so this shot helps establish their relationship, with Dan killing for Neil to eat. Ultimately this particular shot links back to the final one, in terms of offering insight into Dan and Neil’s friendship.
Limitations
The biggest limitation was time, both in terms of the
deadline as well as the availability of actors. My actors were relatively busy,
due to this it made re-shooting difficult; I only had one chance to film and
wouldn’t be able to correct any continuities in time. Furthermore, a few of my
earlier cuts didn’t have enough of my own footage – with only 90 seconds of
footage, I had to film an extra 30 seconds to meet the minimum requirement –
resulting in me adding the pre-credit scene of the interrogation.
This lack of back up shots became an issue when I did encounter continuity errors when trying to merge certain shots, to counter this I blended some clips with the Wave Warp effect and static footage. Some audience members felt that the static “took you out of it” when it wasn’t mixed with the stock footage, this is notable during the interrogation scene for example as I shot the scene last minute to make up for lack of footage.
As it was rushed, I had a continuity error and decided to cover up using the static footage however it seemed to have come off as too disjointed. Additionally, the weather on the day of the shoot was predicted to be relatively clear (ideal for shooting) however it suddenly started to snow for a small amount of time, thus we had to wait for it to stop in case it caused continuity errors - limiting the amount of time we had to shoot as we waited for 30 minutes.
This lack of back up shots became an issue when I did encounter continuity errors when trying to merge certain shots, to counter this I blended some clips with the Wave Warp effect and static footage. Some audience members felt that the static “took you out of it” when it wasn’t mixed with the stock footage, this is notable during the interrogation scene for example as I shot the scene last minute to make up for lack of footage.
As it was rushed, I had a continuity error and decided to cover up using the static footage however it seemed to have come off as too disjointed. Additionally, the weather on the day of the shoot was predicted to be relatively clear (ideal for shooting) however it suddenly started to snow for a small amount of time, thus we had to wait for it to stop in case it caused continuity errors - limiting the amount of time we had to shoot as we waited for 30 minutes.
Another limitation may be a lack of actors, as the
interrogator with the gas mask also played the reporter – which some viewers
might notice. However this isn’t necessarily a large issue as he was wearing a
mask and a different costume, additionally I personally voiced the character in
order to have the character sound nothing like the reporter.
Improvements
you’d make?
I feel that I would re-shoot with a more manual camera and
maybe create my own sound effects, additionally I would avoid continuity
errors/produce multiple shots to prevent having to create more content later.
Another point, that isn’t necessarily important, is the acting; I feel that the
acting wasn’t the best in some areas, namely mine, but equally it was tough to
describe what I wanted in some scenes from Oscar as the interrogator – one shot
has him look at the camera upon entering the room, for example.
Evaluation Question 3
What kind of institution might distribute your media product and why?
In the link below, I explain my choice in distributor and production studio for my final piece. Plus I talk about the exhibition of my film.
Podcast of Evaluation Question 3 - Soundcloud
In the link below, I explain my choice in distributor and production studio for my final piece. Plus I talk about the exhibition of my film.
Podcast of Evaluation Question 3 - Soundcloud
Evaluation Question 2
How does your media product present particular social groups?
Evaluation 2 from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Evaluation 2 from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Evaluation Question 1
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
The 9 key moments of my opening sequence:
The 9 key moments of my opening sequence:
Evaluation Planning
For our final evaluation, we were given 7 questions to answer - in order to fully analyse and see how we have developed our skills over the course. It also provides us with a more detailed way to explain our final piece, and the choices we made during its production.
Thursday, 24 March 2016
Final Opening Sequence (Final)
The Video and Mini Evaluation
This is the final cut of the opening sequence. I believe that I have enough of my own footage shot and edited in and that I conform to the conventions of opening credits quite well - the only change being when the title comes up but I've previously explained how I wished to maintain the twist (of Dan and Neil as friends) until the end. The static video effects are distributed more throughout the opening, which I believe makes the transitions into each clip much smoother.
I included the pre-credits scene in this version and I definitely feel that it was quite rushed unfortunately; there was a continuity error that I tried to fix by breaking the scene apart with the static footage - as I had with other clips such as the ending with Dan looking at the sunset. While it certainly complies to the feeling of disjointedness with the montage's use of static, I feel that the inclusion of the static in the interrogation scene is out of place; the interrogation scene frames the story as if Dan is telling it to the man in the gasmask, therefore the static doesn't make sense as I included it during the credits to link the clips as an indication of society's fall - as if the footage was damaged - acting as exposition. I could perhaps pass it off as if the opening credits were being recorded by the government and even their technology is corrupted after the outbreak but it doesn't fit the scene in my opinion, due to this I would re-shoot if possible however I don't believe it is.
Another point I would like to clarify is that Oscar isn't reading his lines off of the sheet of paper in the scene below. The paper was supposed to act as a prop, being the documents of the government official. In fact, Oscar didn't do his lines in the scene, I voiced and edited them in post myself as he plays the reporter too - which would be a continuity error. Notably, some lines have been altered in order to fit with the bobbing of his head, which indicates him speaking. The audio effects are really good in my opinion, sounding just echoed enough to show the effect of the mask on his character's speech but still being clear enough for the audience to hear.
FINAL FINAL FINAL YES from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
This is the final cut of the opening sequence. I believe that I have enough of my own footage shot and edited in and that I conform to the conventions of opening credits quite well - the only change being when the title comes up but I've previously explained how I wished to maintain the twist (of Dan and Neil as friends) until the end. The static video effects are distributed more throughout the opening, which I believe makes the transitions into each clip much smoother.
I included the pre-credits scene in this version and I definitely feel that it was quite rushed unfortunately; there was a continuity error that I tried to fix by breaking the scene apart with the static footage - as I had with other clips such as the ending with Dan looking at the sunset. While it certainly complies to the feeling of disjointedness with the montage's use of static, I feel that the inclusion of the static in the interrogation scene is out of place; the interrogation scene frames the story as if Dan is telling it to the man in the gasmask, therefore the static doesn't make sense as I included it during the credits to link the clips as an indication of society's fall - as if the footage was damaged - acting as exposition. I could perhaps pass it off as if the opening credits were being recorded by the government and even their technology is corrupted after the outbreak but it doesn't fit the scene in my opinion, due to this I would re-shoot if possible however I don't believe it is.
Another point I would like to clarify is that Oscar isn't reading his lines off of the sheet of paper in the scene below. The paper was supposed to act as a prop, being the documents of the government official. In fact, Oscar didn't do his lines in the scene, I voiced and edited them in post myself as he plays the reporter too - which would be a continuity error. Notably, some lines have been altered in order to fit with the bobbing of his head, which indicates him speaking. The audio effects are really good in my opinion, sounding just echoed enough to show the effect of the mask on his character's speech but still being clear enough for the audience to hear.
FINAL FINAL FINAL YES from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Wednesday, 16 March 2016
Opening Credits - Final Piece
Script
Government official
walks into the room, wearing a gasmask and carrying both a briefcase and a
black bag. He then proceeds to nod at Dan – who is sat at a table, waiting to
be questioned further. The government perplexed by Neill’s passivity towards
Dan, believing he is mutated or infected perhaps but wishing to harness the
ability.
Gov Official: Pleasure to see you again, do you remember me?
*Places down documents and moves towards Dan*
Ah well, my name is Dr P J Holmes and since we last met I have reviewed the information you’ve provided me with.
Now that we’ve got that cleared up, I’d like to talk about a few things.
*Picks up paper*
Firstly your ‘friend’…
*Places down documents and moves towards Dan*
Ah well, my name is Dr P J Holmes and since we last met I have reviewed the information you’ve provided me with.
Now that we’ve got that cleared up, I’d like to talk about a few things.
*Picks up paper*
Firstly your ‘friend’…
Dan: Who Neil?
Gov Official: Ah yes, that’s its name. Did you know him before?
Dan: Yeah he’s my roommate, why?
Gov Official: Now now Dan, I don’t want to make this any…
*Opens bag to reveal Neil’s shirt*
Harder than it is. All we want to know is how you tamed that… creature.
Harder than it is. All we want to know is how you tamed that… creature.
Key Notes
I have chosen Oscar to play the government official because I don't have enough time to find another actor. While this means that I have to conceal his face and that I can't have him act out the part, I can simply have him wear a gasmask (as if he is worried about being infected by Dan) plus I could read his lines in post and add some audio effect - in order to make it sound as if the lines are said through the gasmask, additionally this would make the dialogue clearer and not as muffled as it would be through the mask.
Furthermore, I have included a quick storyboard below but may have to flip the directions given the location. I will presumably reuse the same location as in the Numbers interrogation scene, although I can keep the area well-lit as the interrogator in this case will still look intimidating with the lights on - due to the mask.
Furthermore, I have included a quick storyboard below but may have to flip the directions given the location. I will presumably reuse the same location as in the Numbers interrogation scene, although I can keep the area well-lit as the interrogator in this case will still look intimidating with the lights on - due to the mask.
Sunday, 13 March 2016
Experimental - Final Piece
Whip-Pan Transitions
Below is a short clip where I attempted to create a whip-pan transition. I noticed that one features in my final piece but using stock footage, therefore I would like to include a transition in my final piece using my own footage. Edgar Wright used the technique throughout Shaun of the Dead and so I feel that it would be a nice way of including his methods in my opening sequence.
I believe that I have a good handle on how to create the effect, I tried to film the transition going in both directions which is why I reversed the mid clip - as to make it go in the opposite direction. I'll therefore try to apply what I've learned in my opening sequence
Sequence 01 from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Below is a short clip where I attempted to create a whip-pan transition. I noticed that one features in my final piece but using stock footage, therefore I would like to include a transition in my final piece using my own footage. Edgar Wright used the technique throughout Shaun of the Dead and so I feel that it would be a nice way of including his methods in my opening sequence.
I believe that I have a good handle on how to create the effect, I tried to film the transition going in both directions which is why I reversed the mid clip - as to make it go in the opposite direction. I'll therefore try to apply what I've learned in my opening sequence
Sequence 01 from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Friday, 11 March 2016
Final Opening Sequence (Semi-Final)
The Video and Mini-Evaluation
Firstly, I balanced the audio a lot better in my opinion and cut to the static when necessary - the beginning indicating how fragmented the clips are as the reporter is cut off. I further mixed the stock footage and my own and included many elements from my last cut; the ending is the same in terms of clips used but I did make sure to blend it in more by adding effects to the clip - helping the transition to the title.
The credits felt like an issue in my last post and I have worked on better distributing the credits, opting to split the roles of editor and producer. This ensures that there isn't too much text in one slide at a time and better distributes the roles in the title sequence to demonstrate my knowledge of conventions. I could further demonstrate this knowledge by including credits for 'Lionsgate' and 'Generic Productions' separate to their logos, just to better integrate them into the credits.
One issue is that I don't meet the necessary amount of original footage required, requiring at least 30 seconds more. This is an issue but the most logical solution is to create a pre-credits scene as I don't necessarily need to focus on continuity with my other footage (i.e. the weather and makeup and haircuts of the actors). A possible way of doing this is by filming an interrogation scene with the character of Dan and a government official, perhaps establishing Dan as the narrator telling the viewer/government official his and Neil's story. By making a pre-credits scene, I also have better control over how long or short it has to be.
Dan and Neil - Doommates 3 - FINAL from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Firstly, I balanced the audio a lot better in my opinion and cut to the static when necessary - the beginning indicating how fragmented the clips are as the reporter is cut off. I further mixed the stock footage and my own and included many elements from my last cut; the ending is the same in terms of clips used but I did make sure to blend it in more by adding effects to the clip - helping the transition to the title.
The credits felt like an issue in my last post and I have worked on better distributing the credits, opting to split the roles of editor and producer. This ensures that there isn't too much text in one slide at a time and better distributes the roles in the title sequence to demonstrate my knowledge of conventions. I could further demonstrate this knowledge by including credits for 'Lionsgate' and 'Generic Productions' separate to their logos, just to better integrate them into the credits.
One issue is that I don't meet the necessary amount of original footage required, requiring at least 30 seconds more. This is an issue but the most logical solution is to create a pre-credits scene as I don't necessarily need to focus on continuity with my other footage (i.e. the weather and makeup and haircuts of the actors). A possible way of doing this is by filming an interrogation scene with the character of Dan and a government official, perhaps establishing Dan as the narrator telling the viewer/government official his and Neil's story. By making a pre-credits scene, I also have better control over how long or short it has to be.
Dan and Neil - Doommates 3 - FINAL from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Saturday, 5 March 2016
Final Opening Sequence (Redone Rough Cut)
The Video and Mini-Evalution
I felt that the static I included helped to blend the clips together more and make the video seem more disjointed, like pre-zombie footage that was found later or something. The footage is also mixed between what I did film and stock footage, to better represent the chaos of the zombie outbreak in the film, I did ensure that Daniel's audio occurs with the clips shown at the end to indicate the relationship between the characters better - plus the title featuring after helps to reveal the twist of their friendship.
I tried to balance the audio a bit more because some bits are too loud, like the riot footage. Additionally the static footage I used is very loud, so I'll have to reduce that a bit more. It's especially as rough at the beginning, perhaps taking the viewer out of it before it's even started. I've included a link, to the footage used, below:
The Static Footage Used
I changed the gun sound effect from the stock effect I found in the media files to one I found online on soundsnap, where I also found my zombie sound effects. It was very quiet and echoed before, plus it didn't sound like an AK-47 sound effect unlike the new one. However, while the gun and zombie effects are from elsewhere, the riot sound effects and running are from the stock files at my disposal.
On the topic of sound effects, I'd like to point out how I cut the running audio so it's not as out of time/too continuous. Some bits are reversed too, in order to indicate different running. The zombie effects are also played back to back with some reversed to give the impression that the character of Neil is talking, rather than giving the same sound effect in a row.
For the title, I took the curve effect off and I like it more - it's easier to read and looks more professional. I experimented with the effects while editing to cry and recreate the Dawn of the Dead credits; I feel that the text transitions well to the screen but I could maybe transition from the last shot to the title using some effects. The fade in of the 'D' still doesn't feel right but I don't know how to make a scratching effect. Lastly, I included a zombie sound effect as the 'D' comes in, just to further show how the zombie outbreak in my story has affected the nature of the characters' relationship while still acknowledging their friendship - which is quite ironic and goes against convention.
Notably I changed the content of the credits too, in my initial cut I credited myself for the majority of the roles however such a trend isn't common in most films and it would appear quite egotistical or unprofessional for me to credit myself multiple times; as such I've altered a few credit titles.
Dan and Neil - Doommates 2 from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
I felt that the static I included helped to blend the clips together more and make the video seem more disjointed, like pre-zombie footage that was found later or something. The footage is also mixed between what I did film and stock footage, to better represent the chaos of the zombie outbreak in the film, I did ensure that Daniel's audio occurs with the clips shown at the end to indicate the relationship between the characters better - plus the title featuring after helps to reveal the twist of their friendship.
I tried to balance the audio a bit more because some bits are too loud, like the riot footage. Additionally the static footage I used is very loud, so I'll have to reduce that a bit more. It's especially as rough at the beginning, perhaps taking the viewer out of it before it's even started. I've included a link, to the footage used, below:
The Static Footage Used
I changed the gun sound effect from the stock effect I found in the media files to one I found online on soundsnap, where I also found my zombie sound effects. It was very quiet and echoed before, plus it didn't sound like an AK-47 sound effect unlike the new one. However, while the gun and zombie effects are from elsewhere, the riot sound effects and running are from the stock files at my disposal.
On the topic of sound effects, I'd like to point out how I cut the running audio so it's not as out of time/too continuous. Some bits are reversed too, in order to indicate different running. The zombie effects are also played back to back with some reversed to give the impression that the character of Neil is talking, rather than giving the same sound effect in a row.
For the title, I took the curve effect off and I like it more - it's easier to read and looks more professional. I experimented with the effects while editing to cry and recreate the Dawn of the Dead credits; I feel that the text transitions well to the screen but I could maybe transition from the last shot to the title using some effects. The fade in of the 'D' still doesn't feel right but I don't know how to make a scratching effect. Lastly, I included a zombie sound effect as the 'D' comes in, just to further show how the zombie outbreak in my story has affected the nature of the characters' relationship while still acknowledging their friendship - which is quite ironic and goes against convention.
Notably I changed the content of the credits too, in my initial cut I credited myself for the majority of the roles however such a trend isn't common in most films and it would appear quite egotistical or unprofessional for me to credit myself multiple times; as such I've altered a few credit titles.
Dan and Neil - Doommates 2 from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Final Opening Sequence (Rough Cut)
The Video and Mini-Evaluation
This video is mainly to get a feel for the clips chosen and how to best compose them, I tried to separate the riot footage and my own shots in order to best fit the music as the heavier parts are later on and the riot footage best fits such a mood; the music seems to be a bit overwhelming and the fade into Daniel's audio is a bit too rough, additionally I don't like the sound effect used.
The title features at the end, which goes against the conventions I've seen throughout my research of film openings. I chose to do this as it helps to better reveal the twist in my film's plot; the wordplay on Roommates to Doommates also symbolises the clear change in society due to the zombie outbreak, but I don't like the title overall - the curvature of it looks strange and it doesn't seem anything like the Dawn of the Dead credits.
Dan and Neil - Doommates from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
This video is mainly to get a feel for the clips chosen and how to best compose them, I tried to separate the riot footage and my own shots in order to best fit the music as the heavier parts are later on and the riot footage best fits such a mood; the music seems to be a bit overwhelming and the fade into Daniel's audio is a bit too rough, additionally I don't like the sound effect used.
The title features at the end, which goes against the conventions I've seen throughout my research of film openings. I chose to do this as it helps to better reveal the twist in my film's plot; the wordplay on Roommates to Doommates also symbolises the clear change in society due to the zombie outbreak, but I don't like the title overall - the curvature of it looks strange and it doesn't seem anything like the Dawn of the Dead credits.
Dan and Neil - Doommates from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.
Monday, 1 February 2016
Institutions - Distributors
I did some research into which distributor was most likely to handle the distribution of my final piece. Ultimately I chose Lionsgate but the reasons are explored in the Prezi below.
Saturday, 30 January 2016
The Shoot - Final Piece
I prepared a number of snacks to bring with to the shoot location. This includes: 3 cans of Pepsi, a bottle of Cola, Pringles tortillas, Choco Caramels and half a pack of Cool Ranch Doritos. These snacks are all quick and easy to consume whilst on set, with little waste produced and thus an easier maintenance on cleaning.Unfortunately Owen was unable to attend but he gave me the props and as pictured below, I brought the AK-47 replica to the shoot. An issue was how it doesn't necessarily look realistic, to combat this I used some black electrical tape to cover the orange parts; I had to be careful during the shoot to ensure that no one of the public was startled by the appearance of the prop.
In order to avoid panic as much as possible, I chose a relatively secluded area for the shoot - one far away from the majority of people.
We met up as planned however it did start to snow for a little bit. I initially thought that this would be an issue - in case we shoot some of the shots with snow and the rest without - as it could become a continuity error, however, the weather soon cleared up - though it did set us behind schedule by around half an hour.
During the shoot, I needed to create some tracking shots and so I had brought a skateboard along. The skateboard proved ineffective and didn't necessarily capture the panic of the shots, being too smooth; instead I decided to track the shots as handhelds on foot.
Overall the shoot went on without a hitch with just the occasional pedestrian walking by, meaning we would have to stop shooting. I'll review the footage and create a rough cut, improving further from the video.
Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Call Sheet - Final Piece
Dan and Neil:
Doommates – Durham City, 30th January. Supposed to be cold but
sunny with clear skies, ideal conditions for shooting.
Crew
Camera – Eughan Wooding
Actors – Daniel Bennett, Niall Sedman, Sam Brown
Makeup – Lauren Gibbons
Costume – Lauren Gibbons
Props – Owen Vest
Camera – Eughan Wooding
Actors – Daniel Bennett, Niall Sedman, Sam Brown
Makeup – Lauren Gibbons
Costume – Lauren Gibbons
Props – Owen Vest
Health and Safety
On a road but not so busy, should be fine if we keep equipment near the edge so it’s easy to move.
Might be cold so should bring warm clothes, plus shooting in field near road so require appropriate footwear.
Need to ensure have camera (fully charged), tripod for few shots in the city and props.
Bring warm clothes but costume design is still to be respected, actors must arrive in costume but can have a coat for warmth.
On a road but not so busy, should be fine if we keep equipment near the edge so it’s easy to move.
Might be cold so should bring warm clothes, plus shooting in field near road so require appropriate footwear.
Need to ensure have camera (fully charged), tripod for few shots in the city and props.
Bring warm clothes but costume design is still to be respected, actors must arrive in costume but can have a coat for warmth.
Schedule
10:00 – ensure all equipment is prepped and charged, makeup to be put on zombie
11:30 – everyone sets off for the place, meet at Durham Sixth Form because close landmark.
12:00 – move to location and plan out shots according to storyboard
run through briefly without camera, quick rehearsal
12:30 – record scene.
13:30 – wrap for actors, they go take a break. Use break for food or to go to the toilet.
13:45 – I go alone to record abandoned areas
14:00 – complete wrap, review footage.
10:00 – ensure all equipment is prepped and charged, makeup to be put on zombie
11:30 – everyone sets off for the place, meet at Durham Sixth Form because close landmark.
12:00 – move to location and plan out shots according to storyboard
run through briefly without camera, quick rehearsal
12:30 – record scene.
13:30 – wrap for actors, they go take a break. Use break for food or to go to the toilet.
13:45 – I go alone to record abandoned areas
14:00 – complete wrap, review footage.
14:15 – rerecord footage if needed.
Cost
£1 for bus fare
£5 limit on food and drink, I’m willing to pay for as lunch during the shooting but I will also bring some snacks.£1 for bus fare
*NOTE: Oscar Gilley's scene can be filmed in school on the following Monday instead*
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
Stock Footage - Final Piece
I would like to use some riot footage in my opening, similar to how the footage is used in the Dawn of the Dead opening credits; I feel that this would help provide unspoken exposition on the fall of society in my film's lore, helping to set the tone and plot of my film in a montage (so to speak).
I plan to simply search for some footage on YouTube and rerecord the footage on my camera. The intention is to film it in handheld to hopefully make it seem more authentic/as if it was recorded at the scene; the recording of the footage on my monitor might make the clips seem lower quality or grainy, however this only further adds to the idea of the footage being old or damaged given that it was shot before the outbreak.
I plan to simply search for some footage on YouTube and rerecord the footage on my camera. The intention is to film it in handheld to hopefully make it seem more authentic/as if it was recorded at the scene; the recording of the footage on my monitor might make the clips seem lower quality or grainy, however this only further adds to the idea of the footage being old or damaged given that it was shot before the outbreak.
Monday, 25 January 2016
Audio - Final Piece
I've found some stock sounds in my Media folder - such as gunfire and burning which could prove useful - however there was no zombie sound effects. So I took to the internet and came across two good sites:
These include some good zombie sounds which I could add in post, furthermore I've recorded Oscar and Daniel's audio and can sync them up during the editing. They are quite good in quality, being recorded on an iPhone.
I feel that including diegetic sounds can help to immerse the audience into a better experience of the story, giving the film a sense of realism or an atmosphere. Equally, the non-diegetic music by Jack adds to the ambiance, it has a very nihilistic mood that certainly fits the downfall of society that I aim to show.
and
and
I have also acquired Jack's final recording for the song, I pitched the idea as something quite sinister or brutal to convey the riotous scenes that my opening will show. Similar to the hectic use of Metallica in Zombieland. Here it is:
The Use of SoundI feel that including diegetic sounds can help to immerse the audience into a better experience of the story, giving the film a sense of realism or an atmosphere. Equally, the non-diegetic music by Jack adds to the ambiance, it has a very nihilistic mood that certainly fits the downfall of society that I aim to show.
Sunday, 24 January 2016
Storyboard - Final Piece
I have decided to initially cut between the zombie's feet and the survivor's feet, this will help build tension as it indicates a chase scene; just like with the credits in Dawn of the Dead (2004) I've decided to break up clips by adding in black title screens with red text credits. The scene will then cut to the survivor and zombie fighting but reverse zoom into an over-the-shoulder shot of a hooded figure with a gun. I aim to include a single gunshot sound effect followed by the screen cutting to black - as to avoid needing to add in special effects but it also acts as a dramatic build up to the twist in the story. The scene goes on to use a tilt from a low angle to reveal that the zombie and hooded figure are allies. Now, although I wrote that the title would be in the sky for the last clip, I believe that the title should be on its own black screen - it would certainly be clearer.
I will need to add clips of Oscar as the Reporter between some of the clips shown here, and I will also need to include some credits between some stock footage of riots. I have decided to film in Location 1, although I might include some shots of Location 2 in order to include a bit of context to the plot - indicating that the streets aren't as busy ergo things aren't normal.
Script - Final Piece
Draft of the Script
First Scene
Neil is chasing after a survivor, the two eventually start to fight as Neil catches up; an unknown survivor appears with a gun and takes a shot. It is revealed that the gunman is Dan, Neil's human friend. Neil begins to eat the survivor who was shot.
Dan: When the world went to shit, some stayed with their loved ones. When things went to hell, some followed.
But me? I'm a bit more sentimental, and so is my best friend Neil... or at least he was.
Second Scene
A news reporter is sat at a desk in a plain room and is trying to remain calm but comes off as emotionless or perhaps even scared. He appears to be holding sheets of paper with information on.
Reporter: This is an emergency public service announcement. In regards to the recent quarantine in local areas, the government has declared a state of emergency.
*Swallows hard*
Citizens are advised against going outside unless it is absolutely necessary, government extraction will occur as soon as possible.
In the mean time, avoid anyone who is believed to be infected. Remember...
In the mean time, avoid anyone who is believed to be infected. Remember...
*Puts down paper and looks at the camera*
These individuals are dangerous and certainly not human.
Key Notes:
This seems to be the overall plan for dialogue and general actions that occur on screen, although I feel that I need to clarify that the Dan part is to be done as a voice over. I might also change the order of the script, especially since I need to include some stock footage of the collapse of society.
Also for the title of the overall film, I was thinking about honing in on the friend aspect of the two characters by calling it 'Dan and Neil: Roommates' but then including an effect that somehow turned it into 'Dan and Neil: Doommates' because it's wordplay to better associate it with the post apocalyptic nature of the zombie genre.Friday, 22 January 2016
Scouting - Final Piece
I have decided that, since my plot focuses on a zombie apocalypse, I should primarily film outdoors as it has better lighting but also because it reflects the downfall of the world/civilisation. Furthermore, the research I have done, doesn't seem to show zombie films beginning indoors - Dawn of the Dead (2004) seems to focus on the downfall of society and therefore the outdoors - showing clips of cities in chaos. Clearly I would struggle to film riots given that they are dangerous to get close to and aren't regular in occurrence, nor does it seem wise to organise and stage one. Due to this I have decided to film desolate or quiet areas but add in clips of a 'fake' news report and stock footage of riots, again similar to how Dawn of the Dead (2004) compiled its footage.
Here you can see that I have photographed a road with two fields on either side, this would be a great area to shoot: it is quiet and so we wouldn't be interrupted during the shoot, additionally it means that there wont be any interruptions and the lack of busyness means that it might seem apocalyptic - with most of society not roaming around freely. The long road could also lend to a nice shot of the protagonist looking 'at the road ahead', the road symbolising the protagonist's journey and thus setting up the film (as a good opening should).
Location 1: Field and Road
Here you can see that I have photographed a road with two fields on either side, this would be a great area to shoot: it is quiet and so we wouldn't be interrupted during the shoot, additionally it means that there wont be any interruptions and the lack of busyness means that it might seem apocalyptic - with most of society not roaming around freely. The long road could also lend to a nice shot of the protagonist looking 'at the road ahead', the road symbolising the protagonist's journey and thus setting up the film (as a good opening should).
The issues that this location brings is that it could be dangerous and it could be terrible to shoot at. Firstly, it is a field and could therefore be too muddy and cause slipping; the fact that it's a road, albeit a quiet one, it could mean that the shooting is interrupted by nature walkers or even cars - which could be a danger. Secondly, there seems to be little coverage from the wind which could affect audio or even the quality of shots; the weather could equally turn bad and we'd have no shielding from the elements, deteriorating the quality of audio however this could be added in post.
Location 2: Loading Bay and Bins
A more modern and city-based location, it would certainly appeal to the conventions of zombie apocalypse media that uses cities as a setting - since it is so densely populated, it would be a good area to focus. These areas are also relatively quiet, however they are more likely to have background noise compared to Location 1 - since there could be loud crowds, street performers or construction workers nearby in the city. Therefore clear audio could be an issue here, plus lighting could be difficult with the buildings in the way of the Sun. Although the audio could be done in post, as previously mentioned.
Notably, there are a lot of bins that could move (either by a careless bystander/crew member or just the wind) which certainly leaves a lot of room for continuity errors. Additionally I don't think they're public enough of areas to go along the approach of 'post apocalyptic city', I could film the main streets when they are deserted on a morning - much like how they filmed 28 Days Later - however, morning are darker given that it's winter so this wont work. Similarly to 28 Days Later though, I could include some shots of the streets above to use as establishing shots, indicating the effects of the outbreak.
In general, I don't think that the second set of locations is as good as Location 1. It seems like an easier location to manage and keeping an eye out for nature walkers or cars will be unlikely but easy given how long the road is.
In terms of how it looks, I believe that it is too green and lush to reflect the post-apocalyptic setting of my film opening. However, this could be corrected in post by adapting the filter on the clips. So overall, I believe that this is a good location to shoot, especially since it is a quiet and not busy area - these being issues that my friends faced previously during their shoot.
Location 2: Loading Bay and Bins
In general, I don't think that the second set of locations is as good as Location 1. It seems like an easier location to manage and keeping an eye out for nature walkers or cars will be unlikely but easy given how long the road is.
Thursday, 21 January 2016
Research - Opening of Zombie Genre
Zombieland
One of the highest grossing zombie films recently, along with World War Z, I chose to analyse this film's opening for ideas on my own final piece. It appeals to the same demographic as me and the monetary success indicates that it was a 'good film', therefore the opening might be of some use to me.
The opening conforms to the conventions of opening credits, crediting those involved in the normal order. It begins with some distorted imagery from a handheld camera to help indicate the fall of society, which I could certainly include in my own opening. The text is added to scenes of society's fall in order to establish the narrative and while I do find it interesting due to how the text interacts with the scene - being knocked or smashed - I do not feel as though it is as atmospheric in creating a more realistic narrative. This is perhaps due to how self-aware the concept is in breaking the fourth wall and interacting with the audience; the narration is important to the narrative obviously but is light-hearted enough to act almost as a parody.
The use of slow-motion, along with the heavy metal music, also adds to the comedy of the film in how exaggerated it all is. The music's heavy tone might appear to contrast with the clips in the montage, as some are quite comedic, but I feel that it gives the opening that edginess it needs in order to portray the chaos on screen.
Interestingly, the mise-en-scene indicates that the various characters are 'normal' - all affected by the outbreak. Even the make up for the zombies is impressively realistic, further immersing the audience. It is common to have an 'everyman' for a hero in zombie films and while the opening suggests the incompetence of such characters in the deaths of many 'normal' citizens, the protagonist is a white youth who is civilised and ordinary despite the zombie outbreak - lending the film to the same conventions of other zombie films. Additionally, the use of a white male protagonist might suggest negative connotations due to the suggested under-representation of women and other ethnic groups in the media, it certainly presents youth positively in how moral the protagonist is. The narration shows how he is willing to share experience with the viewer, offering tips; I would certainly like to represent the younger demographic positively in my film, especially given how the demographic makes up most of the consumers of zombie media.
Personally I like this opening as it seems to correctly adhere to the conventions of an opening title sequence but also it is very good visually. The narration relates to the scenes shown and, while the scenes are quite graphic, the narration offers a comedic contrast which I find interesting but it could be difficult to pull off. The use of violence is generally used well as such scenes carry on throughout the film, preparing the audience well.
One of the highest grossing zombie films recently, along with World War Z, I chose to analyse this film's opening for ideas on my own final piece. It appeals to the same demographic as me and the monetary success indicates that it was a 'good film', therefore the opening might be of some use to me.
The opening conforms to the conventions of opening credits, crediting those involved in the normal order. It begins with some distorted imagery from a handheld camera to help indicate the fall of society, which I could certainly include in my own opening. The text is added to scenes of society's fall in order to establish the narrative and while I do find it interesting due to how the text interacts with the scene - being knocked or smashed - I do not feel as though it is as atmospheric in creating a more realistic narrative. This is perhaps due to how self-aware the concept is in breaking the fourth wall and interacting with the audience; the narration is important to the narrative obviously but is light-hearted enough to act almost as a parody.
The use of slow-motion, along with the heavy metal music, also adds to the comedy of the film in how exaggerated it all is. The music's heavy tone might appear to contrast with the clips in the montage, as some are quite comedic, but I feel that it gives the opening that edginess it needs in order to portray the chaos on screen.
Interestingly, the mise-en-scene indicates that the various characters are 'normal' - all affected by the outbreak. Even the make up for the zombies is impressively realistic, further immersing the audience. It is common to have an 'everyman' for a hero in zombie films and while the opening suggests the incompetence of such characters in the deaths of many 'normal' citizens, the protagonist is a white youth who is civilised and ordinary despite the zombie outbreak - lending the film to the same conventions of other zombie films. Additionally, the use of a white male protagonist might suggest negative connotations due to the suggested under-representation of women and other ethnic groups in the media, it certainly presents youth positively in how moral the protagonist is. The narration shows how he is willing to share experience with the viewer, offering tips; I would certainly like to represent the younger demographic positively in my film, especially given how the demographic makes up most of the consumers of zombie media.
Personally I like this opening as it seems to correctly adhere to the conventions of an opening title sequence but also it is very good visually. The narration relates to the scenes shown and, while the scenes are quite graphic, the narration offers a comedic contrast which I find interesting but it could be difficult to pull off. The use of violence is generally used well as such scenes carry on throughout the film, preparing the audience well.
Wednesday, 20 January 2016
Target Audience - Final Piece
Given that most zombie media is aimed at teenagers, as noted in my 2 part research post and my survey, it only seems logical to target a teenage audience, Many zombie games and films tend to have ratings of 15 or 18, however, the lower the age the larger the audience and likelihood of viewers and fans. Therefore I would like to identify my film idea as a 15; according to the British Board of Film Classification (bbfc.co.uk) it seems that my film can pass as a 15 because it contains:
However most of the violence could be obscured or cut out, there's little to no gore and there isn't much in terms of negative language used; my film doesn't seem to dwell on the violence shown or in anyway encourage it - in fact I feel that it discourages it. Due to all of this, it seems that my film is very likely to pass as a 15.
I have discussed the plot with Sam however he is insistent that we go along with the premise that he used during his shoot - that there is an apple micro chip that has caused the outbreak. I don't necessarily believe that providing that much exposition is required, therefore I have decided to write the script myself; I'm focusing on the story of a friendship between Neil, a zombie (played by Niall), and Dan, a survivor (played by Daniel), and how the two interact in the zombie apocalypse - having to deal with interacting with others as well.
Notably I've cast white teenage boys and usually they are presented negatively unsociable and judgemental, however by establishing Neil and Dan's friendship I can positively represent white people who, as previously mentioned in my research post, seem to be associated with xenophobia and racism (the fear of the 'other').
Additionally this would present teenagers positively, as the protagonist is accepting of his friend's zombification and protects him; going against the lazy and judging attitude that they are usually depicted with. Since the zombies represent the 'other', the representation of what particular group is feared by Western society is open (due to its ambiguity). I would like to suggest that it is the fear of Muslims/Islam as that is culturally relevant and can apply here, but as mentioned before this idea can be substituted and still apply - with the positive representation of the demographic I was aiming to appeal to.
- Frequent strong language
- Discriminatory language or behaviour
- Strong violence
However most of the violence could be obscured or cut out, there's little to no gore and there isn't much in terms of negative language used; my film doesn't seem to dwell on the violence shown or in anyway encourage it - in fact I feel that it discourages it. Due to all of this, it seems that my film is very likely to pass as a 15.
I have discussed the plot with Sam however he is insistent that we go along with the premise that he used during his shoot - that there is an apple micro chip that has caused the outbreak. I don't necessarily believe that providing that much exposition is required, therefore I have decided to write the script myself; I'm focusing on the story of a friendship between Neil, a zombie (played by Niall), and Dan, a survivor (played by Daniel), and how the two interact in the zombie apocalypse - having to deal with interacting with others as well.
Notably I've cast white teenage boys and usually they are presented negatively unsociable and judgemental, however by establishing Neil and Dan's friendship I can positively represent white people who, as previously mentioned in my research post, seem to be associated with xenophobia and racism (the fear of the 'other').
Additionally this would present teenagers positively, as the protagonist is accepting of his friend's zombification and protects him; going against the lazy and judging attitude that they are usually depicted with. Since the zombies represent the 'other', the representation of what particular group is feared by Western society is open (due to its ambiguity). I would like to suggest that it is the fear of Muslims/Islam as that is culturally relevant and can apply here, but as mentioned before this idea can be substituted and still apply - with the positive representation of the demographic I was aiming to appeal to.
Monday, 18 January 2016
Confirmation of Crew - Final Piece
I have received confirmation from my friends, unfortunately Amber can't help. However, I now have Sam, Lauren, Daniel and Oscar to help me; Lauren's boyfriend Niall has also agreed to help play the role of zombie. I have also secured two others: Jack and Owen - other friends who have some degree of experience with film-making.
Draft of Roles
Sam - co-writer and actor.
Perhaps playing a survivor in the zombie apocalypse that is presented in my film opening. He is a very professional and talented actor, who is currently still studying various media-focused subjects; clearly a good choice of actor in that regard.
Daniel - actor.
Playing the role of a survivor and presumably the protagonist who befriends the zombie. He has proven to be a capable actor, studying Drama at GCSE and even featuring in my previous videos.
Oscar - actor.
Another good actor who is continuing to study Drama. Given that he played a reporter in the film shot by our friends, I believe he would be best suited to that role. A reporter would be useful in providing context to the outbreak during the opening.
Niall - actor.
Playing the role of zombie, mainly for convenience given that he is in a relationship with the make up artist and therefore would be able to apply the make up prior to arriving at the location of the shoot. Although he has had little experience with acting, I believe that playing a zombie will be easier given the lack of dialogue required.
Lauren - make up artist and perhaps costume designer.
She is experienced with zombie make up, having used it multiple times for various Halloween parties and other shoots. Additionally she has access to the necessary materials, as well as fake blood. As previously discussed, it makes logistical sense that she work with her partner given that it would be easier to apply the make up from home - easier to organise given that they are dating.
Jack - music creator.
He has composed multiple original pieces in the past, he even has his own YouTube channel (Jack's Channel) which clearly shows his capability and experience. I believe that it is better to use royalty-free music however by having a friend create a song gives me more control over it - in regards to the overall sound and mood of the song.
Owen - prop manager.
Probably the best person to request props from as I require prop guns and perhaps even other survival wears, he owns multiple prop guns and even has some camping equipment and thus would be able to provide such props.
I will have to finalise these roles and perhaps have to produce a Call Sheet for the final shoot, making sure to also focus on safety. One point to make is that I could film Oscar in school, given that he is being a reporter, and thus would require a desk.
Draft of Roles
Sam - co-writer and actor.
Perhaps playing a survivor in the zombie apocalypse that is presented in my film opening. He is a very professional and talented actor, who is currently still studying various media-focused subjects; clearly a good choice of actor in that regard.
Daniel - actor.
Playing the role of a survivor and presumably the protagonist who befriends the zombie. He has proven to be a capable actor, studying Drama at GCSE and even featuring in my previous videos.
Oscar - actor.
Another good actor who is continuing to study Drama. Given that he played a reporter in the film shot by our friends, I believe he would be best suited to that role. A reporter would be useful in providing context to the outbreak during the opening.
Niall - actor.
Playing the role of zombie, mainly for convenience given that he is in a relationship with the make up artist and therefore would be able to apply the make up prior to arriving at the location of the shoot. Although he has had little experience with acting, I believe that playing a zombie will be easier given the lack of dialogue required.
Lauren - make up artist and perhaps costume designer.
She is experienced with zombie make up, having used it multiple times for various Halloween parties and other shoots. Additionally she has access to the necessary materials, as well as fake blood. As previously discussed, it makes logistical sense that she work with her partner given that it would be easier to apply the make up from home - easier to organise given that they are dating.
Jack - music creator.
He has composed multiple original pieces in the past, he even has his own YouTube channel (Jack's Channel) which clearly shows his capability and experience. I believe that it is better to use royalty-free music however by having a friend create a song gives me more control over it - in regards to the overall sound and mood of the song.
Owen - prop manager.
Probably the best person to request props from as I require prop guns and perhaps even other survival wears, he owns multiple prop guns and even has some camping equipment and thus would be able to provide such props.
I will have to finalise these roles and perhaps have to produce a Call Sheet for the final shoot, making sure to also focus on safety. One point to make is that I could film Oscar in school, given that he is being a reporter, and thus would require a desk.
Friday, 15 January 2016
Crew - Final Piece
In terms of organising a crew to help shoot my opening sequence, I have decided that it would make sense to work with my friends - namely the ones that I helped to shoot the previously mentioned zombie film. Clearly they are experienced and have knowledge in cinematography, film conventions as well as acting - several of them being Theatre students.
I believe that I should do the writing, editing, camera work and directing simply because it's easier to organise that way, meaning that I don't have to rely on the organisation of others. I may consult Sam Brown, the writer for the previous group, in regards to the plot of my opening; Lauren is also experienced with make up, perhaps I could recruit her boyfriend to play a zombie as it means she can apply the make up from home - which would be easier to do.
Obviously I will have to get in contact with them and organise the shoot. Additionally I will have to finalise my cast and crew, based on who is available and so on.
I believe that I should do the writing, editing, camera work and directing simply because it's easier to organise that way, meaning that I don't have to rely on the organisation of others. I may consult Sam Brown, the writer for the previous group, in regards to the plot of my opening; Lauren is also experienced with make up, perhaps I could recruit her boyfriend to play a zombie as it means she can apply the make up from home - which would be easier to do.
Obviously I will have to get in contact with them and organise the shoot. Additionally I will have to finalise my cast and crew, based on who is available and so on.
Wednesday, 13 January 2016
Research - Zombies in the Media (Part 2)
As previously discussed, zombie films depict uniquely modern secular fears and anxieties - especially in the West. A primary concern of the public is immigration and foreigners/foreign interests as (according to oodegr.co) the West seems to have a 'rising xenophobia' which is most likely due to the fear of losing the Western culture or jobs.
However, this fear of different cultures goes all the way back to the real origin of zombies. In pop culture, zombies originally acted as a "fear of the other" or would carry a "hint of racial fear" (granta.com and newsweek.com); these zombies were humans that were controlled by witch doctors into acting as slaves. This obviously being quite a different take on zombies compared to the modern ideas of zombies acting as 'infected'.
I would certainly like to include this symbolism of the fear of the 'other', but obviously adding a bit of a modern twist - keeping the idea of 'infected' zombies as to maintain the current fans of the genre. I feel that this would be a good focus for the plot of my film opening as it clearly indicates the influence of the original meaning behind zombies, acting as a neutral fear or even a homage to the original movies. Additionally, it seems that the fear of the 'other' is still prominent in society - making it a key topic for exploration.
I also feel as though I could make a negative representation of the predominantly white Western society, focusing on the bias and prejudice that foreigners suffer by exaggerating the situation - i.e. showing the breakdown of civilisation to allow people to freely show their reaction to those 'different' to them. Likewise I can perhaps include a positive representation by having a character befriend a zombie.
However, this fear of different cultures goes all the way back to the real origin of zombies. In pop culture, zombies originally acted as a "fear of the other" or would carry a "hint of racial fear" (granta.com and newsweek.com); these zombies were humans that were controlled by witch doctors into acting as slaves. This obviously being quite a different take on zombies compared to the modern ideas of zombies acting as 'infected'.
I would certainly like to include this symbolism of the fear of the 'other', but obviously adding a bit of a modern twist - keeping the idea of 'infected' zombies as to maintain the current fans of the genre. I feel that this would be a good focus for the plot of my film opening as it clearly indicates the influence of the original meaning behind zombies, acting as a neutral fear or even a homage to the original movies. Additionally, it seems that the fear of the 'other' is still prominent in society - making it a key topic for exploration.
Research - Zombies in the Media (Part 1)
In modern pop culture, zombies appear in multiple forms of media: movies, video games, comics, music and more. Many critics have suggested that the massive growth in the genre is due to George A. Romero, best known for his zombie series that started with Night of the Living Dead; Romero is responsible for establishing many of the zombie conventions we see today such as 'shooting them in the head'. Additionally he has based his films around the survival of typically average/normal people. In fact his influence can even be seen in other mediums such as music and video games and comics, as indicated below.
Comics, Television and Video Games - The Walking Dead
This franchise originally started as a comic book but soon developed such a large fan-base that the Walking Dead comic became a successful AMC television series. The success of the show even led to the creation of a highly acclaimed video game based around choice, by Telltale Games.
The show focuses on slow moving zombies, just like Romero's series, and it also follows the story of normal people and explores how they adapt to the new world and break down of society. The story focuses on Rick Grimes, a sheriff, but soon includes a varied cast (both of race, gender and professions). Whilst the show focuses on the regular tropes of survival and how difficult it is to survive, the video game acts more like a slow point-and-click game with the narrative being an integral part of its success - the characters and ability to make choices are also very well done. This game treats mortality very maturely too and takes on a different pace, unlike the classic shooting-based games.
Romero himself has been involved in video games too, he featured in the Call of Duty zombie game 'Call of the Dead '. Interestingly Romero has stated that he doesn't necessarily like the Walking Dead, and other modern zombie movies like World War Z - however he seems to mainly dislike the idea of fast-moving zombies, claiming "I don't buy running zombies". The issue he seems to have with the Walking Dead (according to http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10436738/George-A-Romero-Why-I-dont-like-The-Walking-Dead.html) is that it's "like a soap opera with zombies sometimes". He has however claimed to believe that the success of the zombie genre is due to video games, saying "I do think the popularity of the creature has come from video games, not film." which makes sense especially since the most successful zombie movies recently have only broken $100 million (Zombieland) and $75 million (Dawn of the Dead in 2004) in box office revenue.
Music - Watsky
In this music video by Watsky we see hipsters being compared to zombies, which is possibly closer akin to Romero's symbolism behind zombies; idea of commercialisation and societal conformity being linked to zombie portrayal. With us becoming 'mindless' due to modern consumerism and society.
This and other parody work - such as Shaun of the Dead - acknowledge the similarities of how we act in public to how zombies act; the idea of being mindless drones and conforming to very mundane tasks in everyday life. Romero's original Dawn of the Dead takes place in a shopping centre and thus acts as a commentary of growing consumerism/capitalism at the time, Romero claiming that this decision was made due to the recent opening of the shopping centre near him, at the time. Interestingly the mundane and trivial values in society which centre around materialism, as presented in Romero's films, are still prevalent today.
Here is an internet image which highlights the similarities, especially in a capitalist/consumerist society as big as the USA:
But why do we have an interest in zombies? Why is the genre so successful?
Jonathan Maberry - author of many award-winning zombie books such as Patient Zero, Rot and Run, and Zombies CSU - has said, "Zombie fiction and movies, when they're good, aren't about zombies. They are about people and how they respond. A zombie is a stand-in for anything we fear: pandemic, racism, societal change... It's the core of a drama and a never-ending blank canvas." which seems to reflect Romero's approach to zombies.
What I can take from this, is that zombies can be used as a symbol for a fear of anything - which I can use to link representation in my final opening. Firstly, I will need to consider what fear I would like to present or what would be most appropriate.
Comics, Television and Video Games - The Walking DeadThis franchise originally started as a comic book but soon developed such a large fan-base that the Walking Dead comic became a successful AMC television series. The success of the show even led to the creation of a highly acclaimed video game based around choice, by Telltale Games.
The show focuses on slow moving zombies, just like Romero's series, and it also follows the story of normal people and explores how they adapt to the new world and break down of society. The story focuses on Rick Grimes, a sheriff, but soon includes a varied cast (both of race, gender and professions). Whilst the show focuses on the regular tropes of survival and how difficult it is to survive, the video game acts more like a slow point-and-click game with the narrative being an integral part of its success - the characters and ability to make choices are also very well done. This game treats mortality very maturely too and takes on a different pace, unlike the classic shooting-based games.
Romero himself has been involved in video games too, he featured in the Call of Duty zombie game 'Call of the Dead '. Interestingly Romero has stated that he doesn't necessarily like the Walking Dead, and other modern zombie movies like World War Z - however he seems to mainly dislike the idea of fast-moving zombies, claiming "I don't buy running zombies". The issue he seems to have with the Walking Dead (according to http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10436738/George-A-Romero-Why-I-dont-like-The-Walking-Dead.html) is that it's "like a soap opera with zombies sometimes". He has however claimed to believe that the success of the zombie genre is due to video games, saying "I do think the popularity of the creature has come from video games, not film." which makes sense especially since the most successful zombie movies recently have only broken $100 million (Zombieland) and $75 million (Dawn of the Dead in 2004) in box office revenue.
Music - Watsky
In this music video by Watsky we see hipsters being compared to zombies, which is possibly closer akin to Romero's symbolism behind zombies; idea of commercialisation and societal conformity being linked to zombie portrayal. With us becoming 'mindless' due to modern consumerism and society.
This and other parody work - such as Shaun of the Dead - acknowledge the similarities of how we act in public to how zombies act; the idea of being mindless drones and conforming to very mundane tasks in everyday life. Romero's original Dawn of the Dead takes place in a shopping centre and thus acts as a commentary of growing consumerism/capitalism at the time, Romero claiming that this decision was made due to the recent opening of the shopping centre near him, at the time. Interestingly the mundane and trivial values in society which centre around materialism, as presented in Romero's films, are still prevalent today.
Here is an internet image which highlights the similarities, especially in a capitalist/consumerist society as big as the USA:
But why do we have an interest in zombies? Why is the genre so successful?
Jonathan Maberry - author of many award-winning zombie books such as Patient Zero, Rot and Run, and Zombies CSU - has said, "Zombie fiction and movies, when they're good, aren't about zombies. They are about people and how they respond. A zombie is a stand-in for anything we fear: pandemic, racism, societal change... It's the core of a drama and a never-ending blank canvas." which seems to reflect Romero's approach to zombies.
What I can take from this, is that zombies can be used as a symbol for a fear of anything - which I can use to link representation in my final opening. Firstly, I will need to consider what fear I would like to present or what would be most appropriate.
Monday, 11 January 2016
Title Credits/Text - Final Piece
I attempted to recreate the opening title sequence effects that feature in the opening sequence for Dawn of the Dead (2004). The reason for this is simply because I liked the concept of the text being in blood, as it fits the genre, and I believed it was visually appealing - adding a degree of flair rather than simply having the text appear.
To do this I tested 3 varying mixtures of red acrylic paint, evaluating their fluidity and debating whether or not they would be useful in producing blood-like credits; notably there were some issues that came across such as the difficulty to manipulate the 'oozing', additionally it was very hard to film and so if I were to use these practical effects in my final opening then it would not look very professional.
Here is my test footage:
I used a hair dryer to blow the mixtures and test the way they move. Clearly the first test does not move and so I realise that the second would require more fluidity; I chose to mix the acrylic with PVA in order to get that ideal consistency. As the video then shows, I decided to experiment with adding water - simply to achieve the blood-like fluidity discussed.
Here are the credits I wished to recreate:
As I mentioned previously, I don't feel as though the transition would be best done with practical effects. The credits wouldn't be as clear to the audience and it would be difficult to manage the mixture's movement, resulting in a poor opening sequence.
Due to this, I will try and either find a similar effect in Adobe Premiere Pro (the editing software I will be using) and if that fails, I can easily just use regular text. One thing I definitely know is that I am most likely to use red text with a black background, as the colour connotes danger and blood - these both featuring in the zombie genre, making this choice appropriate.
To do this I tested 3 varying mixtures of red acrylic paint, evaluating their fluidity and debating whether or not they would be useful in producing blood-like credits; notably there were some issues that came across such as the difficulty to manipulate the 'oozing', additionally it was very hard to film and so if I were to use these practical effects in my final opening then it would not look very professional.
Here is my test footage:
I used a hair dryer to blow the mixtures and test the way they move. Clearly the first test does not move and so I realise that the second would require more fluidity; I chose to mix the acrylic with PVA in order to get that ideal consistency. As the video then shows, I decided to experiment with adding water - simply to achieve the blood-like fluidity discussed.
Here are the credits I wished to recreate:
As I mentioned previously, I don't feel as though the transition would be best done with practical effects. The credits wouldn't be as clear to the audience and it would be difficult to manage the mixture's movement, resulting in a poor opening sequence.
Due to this, I will try and either find a similar effect in Adobe Premiere Pro (the editing software I will be using) and if that fails, I can easily just use regular text. One thing I definitely know is that I am most likely to use red text with a black background, as the colour connotes danger and blood - these both featuring in the zombie genre, making this choice appropriate.
Wednesday, 6 January 2016
Results - Survey Into Zombie Demographic
The Results:
1) The majority of people who took part in the survey were 13-25 years old which certainly corresponds with the idea of a teenage/young adult demographic. There were older participants and interestingly they seem to resonate more so with Romero Style zombies and Traditional ones (as I will discuss soon).
2) The majority of people (60%) would like to see a zombie comedy however the next highest result was the Zombie-Action genre, so it is likely I will include some elements of Action.
3) Seemed to also be a relatively even in terms of how many were fans of zombie themed media. However, the majority said 'Yes' they like zombie themed media. Notably these tended to be the younger demographic as I hypothesized prior.
4) The most popular preference was the Romero Style zombies (slow moving brain eaters) which is understandable given the sway his films have had on the genre; this option gained 18 tallies however the rest of the options were more evenly split.
5) Perhaps the strangest question on the survey but it came up as a 50/50 divide in terms of who or who wouldn't consider a friendship with a zombie. The reason I asked this question is not simply due to its ridiculous nature, it was to show public opinion on zombies. Understandably, people would be wary given that zombies are (in media) murderous creatures however in a real life scenario, how would they be treated? Additionally what if the word zombie was replaced with another group that are portrayed as violent in the media (i.e. Muslims)?
6) I am pleased to see that the majority of people would be interested in this premise, it is one I would certainly like to explore in detail as I believe it has potential to be quite effective in showing the prejudice society seems to have on 'violent cultures', simply based on how those cultures and groups of people are portrayed in the Media.
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