Directors Comments on Camera shots - Preliminary Task

Mine and Sophie Gordon's script:

I have learnt how I could have made my camera shots video better. I have criticized my own work, so I could figure out what I could have done better. We planned before recording the audio, so the directors comments would be professional. I have also learnt from my mistake, We put the video onto garage band with the audio, and the video shrunk. We then changed this and put the audio and video onto final cut pro.

Thriller Location Recee

I have taken this photo from Spinnaka Tower, at a high angle looking at Old Portsmouth. The dock yard would be a great location to create mystery and suspense  the protagonist could create conflict in this location, or the heroin could be in danger here.

The dock yard gives a lot of options, for example my thriller could be a crime thriller, psychological or spy. The old disadvantages would be if a ship came in to dock, it would reduce the amount of match on action shots I could have. I would have to take that into consideration.

I could also have Old Portsmouth as my location because of the Spinnaka Tower, it is Portsmouth Land mark.  The old naval buildings (some abandoned  would give a lots of options as well. It would be a great place to have a conflict take place.

 I have taken this photo on Oxford street, red buses are on view, which would tell the audience the location is London. This location is great because it is very busy. A chase could easily take place, I could use a pan or track shot, to make the most of the location. This would add the fast excitement to the thriller opening.The narrow roads, and corner buildings could make the chase, exciting and dramatic. If I edited the video clips using final cut pro, and use the effect colour correction 3 way, I could make the clip darker to add more mystery.

I have edited the same photo, using Photoshop  To show how making the photo darker creates different emotions. Making it darker creates more mystery and uncertainty  because the dark is mysterious we do not know what is in the dark.












Here I have learnt what locations would be suitable for a thriller. I have learnt that the capital city, London, would be good because it is well known. I have also discovered that having a location which is either abandoned or really busy would be the most suitable, because it makes it more interesting and realistic. 

Dexter opening titles remake

This is mine and Sophie Gordon's Dexter Remake, we both edited on final cut pro, I edited the very begging and very end, changed speed and added titles, transitions and effects (colour correction 3 ways, blur and rotation), and Sophie edited the whole middle. I have learnt how to use effects, and how to speed up because of the small amount of time we had. I used keyboard short cuts to do this. I would of liked to add all of the titles and more effects, but we did not have time. 

Next time we would have given ourselves more time in editing, by coming behind school more often, we could of also added less effects. We did not render as often as we would have liked to, so the clips do not flow as well because we couldn't play them back. We would have also liked to of spent more time moving the audio, so it fits the video better.

I have learnt how to fade in and out on videos, using effects. I have also learnt how to made a clip darker or lighter, using the colour correction 3 way effect. I have learnt that we should have given ourselves more time, so we wouldn't have to rush.

Dexter Opening Remake Planning

I am working in a group with Sophie Gordon, to film Dexter's morning routine.

This opening sequence to Dexter, creates a back story for the audience. Even though the actions Dexter is doing are normal, there is something unusual about them. All of the parts to the routine are aggressive, the low lighting gives the audience a sense of mystery. Most of the props used in the routine could be used to murder people with, the possible murder weapons give the audience clues that he is a murderer. There is also a sense of comedy to the routine, which makes the audience warm to him, which creates even more mystery to who he is. The frequent presence of blood, which also could portray danger, teaches the audience that he's not just a normal man getting ready.

What we need:

A kitchen stove/hob
A frying pan
Cutlery
Pate
Bacon
Eggs
A coffee cafetiere 
A thin white t shirt
A grape fruit
A shape knife
Shoelaces
Hand razor
Toilet roll
fake blood
Ketchup

What we need each:

Time line of Dexter's morning routine:

Mind map:

Story board:

I have learnt that planning is important, this is because it allows me to know what I am doing on the day of shooting, so I do not waste time. I have also learnt, that there are lots of shots in this opening sequence which makes it interesting. So I must include lots in mine.

Thriller Mind map

I have learnt the different components that make a thriller, and how they create certain emotions for the audience. I have also learnt that there are lots of components in a thriller, so I must make sure they are all included so my opening sequence is the best that it an be.

Final edited Camera shots - Preliminary Task

My group (Sophie Gordon, Anna Tyler and Cammie Hall) and I, filmed a variety of shots in our school. I filmed some shots, and edited half and added the effect to this film. We then uploaded them from two iPhone 5's to our computers. Sophie Gordon and I then edited the clips in Final cut pro, we used match on action , the 180 degree rule, panning, shot reverse shot and a variety of angles. We then added an effect, to turn the whole video into black and white. We removed the audio to the whole video, apart from the speaking scene (shot reverse shot).

I have learnt what the 180 degree rule is and shot reverse shot, and how to film that. I also learnt how to add effects on final cut pro.

Mood board of Iconography

I have learnt what props, locations costumes and lightings, are needed in a thriller.