Planning: Call sheets

Call sheet 1

Location-My House

Storyboard scene no.s - 3-8, 10, 11

Cast - (Protagonist scene)

Beth Espey - Olivia
Niamh Tunbridge -
Extras (at the party)

Wardrobe: Dresses, quite a bit of makeup (eyeliner and bright-lipstick), hair down

Props

• A car
• Cups (with 'alcohol' inside)
• An iphone

Call sheet 2

Location - Forest area next to Silverstone

Cast - Protagonist, Jason (and his friends)

Beth Espey - Olivia

                         - Jason

Extras - (Jasons friends)

Wardrobe: Casual clothing such as jeans, a top, jumper and trainers

Props

• An iphone

Call sheet 3

Location - Forest area next to Silverstone

Cast - Protagonist and Antagonist

Beth Espey - Olivia

                    - Masked killer

Wardrobe: Antagonist - Wearing black clothing 

Props

• Mask for antagonist

Planning: Permission and Health and Safety

I already have the permission to use my parents car and film within the area that is located next to the school.

Risks that could occur

• Falling over/tripping as it will be dark near the forest area
• Getting hit by the car
• Weather which could effect filming

How the matters will be solved

1. To prevent someone from falling or tripping over in the dark, during the day someone should clear the area to make sure it is free of anything harmful before filming. Also a torch can be taken on the set during filming so everyone is aware of their surroundings. Also appropriate shoes would be worn and everyone on set will be told not to run around.
2. This will mean that the character driving the car will to know how to drive properly and have a drivers license. Also, everyone on set should be fully aware when crossing roads around Silverstone as loads of cars are normally driving around.
3. To prevent the weather on having an impact on filming, for example if it is raining and filming in the forest area would be a bad decision, research should be done prior to filming. This consists of checking weather forecasts to see when it is raining, to schedule filming on an appropriate day. 

Planning: Lighting

Throughout the film, I plan to have low-key lighting. After my research on horror films I am fully aware that low-key lighting is a common convention used in horror films to create suspense and make the scene overall more scary. Also, I will do this by filming the scenes when it gets darker during the day, to emphasise what is unravelling within the film opening. The only time high-key lighting will be used is when I shoot inside the party as it will up-lift the mood.

Planning: Props

One of the main props used will be a car, which will be a clear indication to do the audience on roughly how old the characters are. The car I will be using is my mums, which she has given me permission to use for my film opening.

Another prop used within the film opening will be a mobile phone (Iphone 6S) which will relate to my target market (which is teenagers). This will be used when Olivia is calling Jason. The phone used will be my phone, which is will be more reliable to use as I will have easy access to it, obviously. As well as this there will be drinking cups (at the party) to show a stereotypical teenager party with an indication that there is drinking involved.

Planning: Costume and makeup

Costume
The females within the clip will be seen wearing dresses, as they will be going to a party. It will also relate to my target market (teenagers) as it is stereotypical that teenagers go to parties. They will be wearing quite a lot of makeup (eyeliner and bright lipstick colours)
The boys within the film opening will wear casual clothing, which consists of jeans, trainers a top and a jumper.
The Antagonist (killer) in my film opening will be seen wearing black clothing which makes the character seem more mysterious. Also black is associated with evil and darkness which is already an indication that they will be the antagonist. As well as this the antagonist will be seen wearing a mask, hiding the persons identity creating more suspense and mystery as no one knows who it is, which will intrigue the audience.

Planning: Casting

Within the casting process I had to consider specific characteristics that I wanted the characters to have within my opening scene.

• They will have to be teenagers aged 16-18 years old.
• Great acting skills
• Can efficiently memorise lines, and project them clearly
• They will have to be organised and reliable
• Available when asked to be
• Have must be committed to the project and stay positive throughout the process
• They can be any height

These are the general factors that I looked at when I was choosing both male and female roles during the casting process. 

Planning: Location Scouting

• The first part of the film opening will be shot at school
• The next part where Olivia wanders into the forest will be shot next to Silverstone UTC (my school) near the trees and bushes where it will look like a forest.

This a shot of where Olivia will be walking, during the start of the film opening. 

This is an example shot (in the changing rooms) where the murderer will be seen stalking Olivia within school hours. 

This a shot of the front of the school, where Olivia will be seen walking (at a closer shot) and an overview of the school which will be in the film.

Planning: Storyboard

Planning: Logistical Restraints and Positives

The logistical restrains regarding my idea includes:

• Location: The location of a few of my scenes will be near my school, this means that I will have to make sure I angle the camera in a particular way to make sure that it looks like the scene is in an actual forest not within my school.
• Timing: My opening scene is at night, this will mean that I will have to film at a particular time of the day within school hours, which will be at around 4pm-5pm. This will mean everyone within the scene will have to be available at that particular time.
• Props: Due to the start of my opening scene starting with two girls in a car, I will need to be able to have access to an efficient vehicle.
• Sound: Non-diegetic sound will have to be used to successful portray the narrative as the diegetic sound may not be picked up as good on the camera I will be using.

The positives with my event are:

• I will be able to film a successful film opening due to the equipment I have easy access to. This includes the camera, tripods to get my desired camera shot and the correct editing tools.
• The location of my scene is set at my house which means I will be able to film at any time.

Planning: Final Idea

The opening scene will start off with two girls in the car heading to a party. My target market is aimed at teenagers, so having having the girls go to the party will relate more to the audience. On the radio there will be brief news regarding a killer who is lurking through the town 'Havens Hill' who has already killed Bethany Stevens and Louis Waters. One of the girls will be concerned (the one in the passengers seat), and the other will think that the 'cold-blooded' killer is not true (driving the car), however she's the one that ends up being targeted. They go to the party, which will be seen with a lot of dancing etc. Then mid-way through she gets a text (the girl driving the car) from her boyfriend Jason, then she leaves the party. As she is walking through she starts getting paranoid with rustles of leaves and sticks breaking as if someone is behind her. There will be point of view shots of the killer looking at her to add more suspense and he will be soon looking at her behind trees wearing a mask and dark clothing. As she is standing he will be suddenly stood behind her, as she turns she screams and it goes to a black screen.

Planning: Initial idea

After gathering up different ideas which could possibly be within my film opening, I decided on what it will be about. The protagonist will be a female who goes to a party with her friends and then gets a message from her boyfriend to meet her in the woods. As she is wondering within the woods I will have the antagonist (who is the killer in the film) to sneak up on her and she will end up looking as if she had died at the end.

Sinister

Sinister genre codes and conventions

The genre of Sinister is horror which is clearly seen from the codes and conventions within the opening scene. The opening of the film starts off with the standard production titles and the films associations. After this, it is cut to a black screen with non-diegetic fuzzy sounds in the background and the typical spooky music normally associated with horror films. This intrigues the audience as it causes mystery indicating that the scene to come may be tense. It then proceeds to cut to a tape rolling with 4 people within a forest being hanged from a tree with the tape constantly flickering creating a eerie mood. The 4 people look like a family with what looks like a father, mother and two children insinuating that they are a normal family. The fact that they have brown backs over their heads symbolises that they are hostages. 

Regarding mise en scene, the large tree is located in a forest with mist surrounding the area which is a typical convention used in horror films to give the scene more of a gothic edge and to add tension. Also, the lighting is quite dim which is another convention as it emphasies the dark nature of whats happening within the scene, creating fear and suspense with the audience.  The fact that they are wearing casual clothing such as jeans and a top denotes that they are normal people which furthers the realism of the scene which adds more intensity creating the audience feel fear as the scene unravels. As well as this, the 4 people This also creates an enigma code with the audience as they will be wondering how the 4 people were put on the tree and why.

 For the film to start off with a murder this is a clear indication that the film is a horror as murders is a well-known convention within horror films. Not only this, but as this is the opening scene the audience now expects the upcoming scenes to be filled with terror. The colourful clip of the scene is contrasted with the dark aspect of the scene which may confuse the audience, however the mysterious sound effects cause the basic clip seem even more terrifying to the audience. As the people a squirming about to die, there is a sudden crackling sound which is a jump effect commonly seen in horror films which creates tension within the scene. As the sound effects gets louder, with the lead up to the death of the 4 people then adds even more intensity too what is occurring. 

Insidious

Insidious genre codes and conventions

 The opening scene of Insidious has a variety of typical codes and conventions used within the horror genre. The film begins with the standard production companies as well as who the film is associated with. As the title first appears the audience will straight away know the film is of a thriller/horror genre as the titles appear in red which connotes blood and danger. The first shot in the scene is a long shot of a little boys’ room which can be clearly seen within the mise en scene in which his duvet is colourful and has a teddy bear in his room which denotes that he is young. In the background, there is a non-diegetic sound, with long suspenseful notes and a sort of ringing sound which gives off an echoing sound. This type of sound is a well-known convention in horror films, as it causes the audience to feel tense as the scene is unraveled. Whilst this is in the background there is a young child sleeping in the bed, the lighting is low-key from the lights being turned off. Horrors tend to use low-key lighting as the conventions adds a sense of mystery.

With the camera at a long shot showing the bedroom, the camera then slowly pans to the right to go through the rest of the room, showing toys and a lava lamp which emphasises the innocence of the boy and connotes a sense of safety with the light. The non-diegetic sound then changes to a high-pitched violin playing fast as a shadow occurs from the window. This a common convention seen in horror films as the fear of the unknown is an enigma code creating the audience to feel intrigued yet panicked at the same time. As the person’s shadow is seen this causes a sense of fear making the audience feel on edge. The camera then does a swish pan to the next room which reveals an elderly lady wearing a veil and holding a lit candle. Her face is pale white with the conventional demon-looking crusty skin and crazy hair which denotes that she is the antagonist within the film. The fact that she is the antagonist is also shown in her dark attire with the black veil that connotes evil and death. The audience not knowing who she is and what she is capable causes the women to be perceived as even more scary.

The camera then proceeds to stay on the elderly women for a few more seconds which gives the audience an indication that she is the main character within the film. The title (Insidious) is then suddenly put on screen which is again, written in red which connotes blood and danger. After this, we see a long shot of a large house which signifies that the people living there may be quite wealthy and gives the audience an idea of where the first scene took place, as the credits start too roll on the screen. The shot is also in black and white which makes it look more ghostly and quite haunted. There is then another long shot of inside the house which contains boxes implying that the family has just recently moved into the house, which this good moment for the family is contrasted by the black and white edit and eerie tension within the scene. 

The Conjuring

The Conjuring genre codes and conventions 

The genre of The Conjuring is horror, which is evident as there are many conventions throughout the opening scene. The start of the opening scene is introduced with the Warner Bros logo, and instead of the normal bright colors it is black and grey, with a dark gloomy background this gives the audience an idea that it may be a horror as dark lighting is commonly used in horrors making it a well-known convention. As well as this in the background there is tension building with non-diegetic sound which is a well-known convention used in horrors to get the audience aware that something bad is about the happen. 

With some dialogue in the background the next scene is cut to an extreme close-up of a damaged-looking doll, with dull colors. Scary dolls are a horror convention seen in some well-known horrors. This gives the audience an insight as to why that main subject of the film may be about. It is the cut to 3 character on the sofa with two women and one man. The two girls are explaining the story, with their facial expressions in fear. The fact that they are discussing how scared they are is a stereotype seen as women in horror films are normally portrayed as the damsel in distress. As they are having a conversation it comes clear to the audience that the antagonist the doll, which is a genre code as most horror films have supernatural characters which are seen to be terrorising the victims. 

The next cut is of a flashback as their seen laughing coming through the door, which is suddenly stopped as they see a note on the floor. It reads 'Miss me?' In red, this symbolises danger. In horror films the color red signifies blood which connotes to the audience that something evil is about to occur. As they look up they see the doll sitting in the hallway, denoting that the note is from the doll. As the scene is unravelling this is an enigma code as the audience is wondering how the doll managed to get in the middle of the hallway and why it would write that on the note. The scene has lowkey lighting which this well-known convention instantly makes the scene more dramatic and intense. As they walk towards the doll they see the doll with red coloring pens which denotes that she indeed wrote the note which is an enigma code as the audience would be wondering how a doll managed to do this.

 The two characters who are hugely portraying the convention of the damsel in distress, are then exposed to what the doll did within the other room. The room lights start too flicker, this causes the reader too feel tense as flickering lights are unpredictable. As well as this the slashes in the photos is an indication that they have been threatened, which is another enigma code as the audience will wonder what will happen as their physical being has been threatened. In the background, there is non-diegetic music playing which is the standard horror film sound, this is a convention in horror films when the victim discovers something that could threaten their physical being. Not only this but the red mark along the walls signifies blood. After the characters were exposed to the room, a pen starts rolling which adds tension within the scene and an enigma code is used as the audience will be wondering how it started rolling. This is a convention used in horror films as when the antagonist is about to threaten he victim they do small things to scare them before they attack. It is then cut too one of the girls picking up the doll and disposing it in the bin which is an attempt to get rid of it. This is a convention as in horror films the victim does something in the moment when they are threatened and it always ends up turning out bad. 

As the bin shuts it is then cut to a black screen where the audience is left not knowing what happened. It is then cut to one of the characters sleeping with loud banging in the background, in which they act confused and try and find out where the noise is coming from. One of the female characters is about to open the door where they think the banging is coming from, this is a common convention as there is always someone who is too curious. There is no music and no dialogue and then she opens the doll and the doll is sitting there. As it is discovered a large bang is heard. This is a convention well-known in horror films as when something scary appears the lead up is quiet, then a loud bang occurs when revealed as a jump scare.

Central Intelligence opening scene analysis

Central intelligence opening scene analysis

As the Waren bros. Pictures logo comes up on the screen, in the background a song is played called 'My lovin' by en vogue. This song is upbeat, with a high tempo giving the film a good and happy vibe. The screen then switches to a long shot of a building with the writing 'Central high school' this indicates to the audience that  this scene will be played in a high school, it is then cut too a hallway with edited in writing saying '20 years ago' as this obvious flashback is going to be seen, this will intrigue the audience and lead them to carry on watching as they do not know what is occurring in the present within the film. As the camera shows the door to a boys locker room, it shows a close up of a radio to show the audience where the music is coming from, with the sound of a shower in the background. As they show the back of an overweight man in the shower he is turns around and the character is revealed implying that he is a main character within the film.  

 He is seen to be dancing with funky moves, singing along to the music as some people might find a naked man dancing to music funny this will imply to the audience that the film is indeed a comedy. He is wearing braces which stererotypically represents a nerd within American films, this denotes that he is not popular within the school as another stereotype of someone unpopular is being overweight. As he is dancing a boy pops round the corner with an evil smile and group of boys crowd around the corner making fun of him. As one of them proceeds to shout at him he suddenly turns around and the camera moves to a close up of his face in embarrassment which emphasises how mortified he is feeling at that moment. The group of boys then run up towards him and then is cut to the next scene, the fact that the audience does not see what happens to him straight away they are left wondering what happened to him. As the shower incident is occurring it cuts to a gym with students seated around as a man is talking to the audience within the film. He is seen too be old (from the grey hair) and wearing coloured suit, stereotypically headteachers in American films are quite old and his suit symbolizes power and importance causing the audience to assume that he is the headteacher at the school. 

As he is talking he then proceeds to talk about someone and then introduces a young man onto the stage, everyone in the audience is cheering loudly for him denoting that they have a lot of respect for him, as some even chant 'Golden jet' this all shows how popular he is within the school which is a huge contrast to the previous boy who is made fun of and is extremely unpopular. As he starts his speech, non-diegetic slow music is played fitting his speech emphasising how inspiring the speech is. He even shouts out his girlfriend who is attractive which shows how good his life is as opposed to the boy in the shower. Suddenly the music stops, and the doors open with the shower boy being pushed through into the gym from the boys who were mocking him. As he is pushed to the floor is silent causing tension and then every student within the film starts laughing at him lying naked on the floor, this will leave the viewer feeling sorry for the boy as his facial expression is mortified. However, as everyone laughs the popular boy looks at him in remorse showing compassion as he gives him his jumper to hide his body, the stereotype of a typical popular boy in films is then subverted as he is showing compassion towards the not-so popular boy. In this scene the director fully shows the contrast between the two boys as the audience clapped and cheered for the popular boy for laughed and mocked the un-popular boy.  

Suicide Squad opening scene analysis

Suicide Squad opening scene analysis

Suicide squad was released in 2016, and is an American superhero film based on DC Comics directed by David Ayer.  

The film starts off with the Warner Bros picture logo, however it is themed in suicide squad colors (pink, purple, green and blue) and the lights then suddenly turn off whilst the words flicker which will intrigue the audience as they have probably never seen this from the Warner bros company in any other film. In the background there is a non-diegetic sound played in the background which is quite fast and upbeat which is normally seen in action films giving the audience a sense of familiarity and an insight into what the film may contain. It also shows the DC Comics logo and at this point the audience will know for sure that it is a superhero film it then adds the effect of zooming into the logo in which it switches to the first scene as if we entered the world of DC Comics.  

The first seen is introduced with non-diegetic upbeat yet mellow song, which however is slightly contrasted to the visual image as the camera shows a long shot of a lake with factory-looking buildings in the background with the sky filled with clouds causing the area to look dark and gloomy. Also in the bottom right corner the area is written in black to inform the viewer where it will be taken place, it is called the 'Black site', the color black connotes evil, power and mystery, from the gloomy scenery and the name 'black site' the audience is then fully aware the area is a bad place. With the camera in long shot as it's moving forward, it cuts too a large, rusty grey wall with barbed wire indicating that it is a prison. On this wall there is a picture of a skeleton, with a black behind bars and a skeleton symbolising mortality may imply that the actual people within the prison are not normal humans. A large vehicle then goes past the wall causing a diegetic sound of a moving lorry with guards walking past. It then cuts to a long shot of a dark office, with a desk and a men facing surveillance footage which informs the audience that whoever is in the prison is being watched. 

Then next cut is of Will Smith, who is sweating wearing no top, with a lot of sweat punching a grey punching bag in an old cell, showing the audience the first prisoner he is seen to be strong and powerful with his defined abs and muscles. With the guards coming in they are all wearing black which connotes that they are in power, whilst they go to his cell there is a point of view shot of a guard looking in as they proceed show dialogue. The guard gives Will Smith food which is clearly distasteful in which Will Smith's character threatens the guard. He is then pushed into a chair as all the guard stand around him emphasising how helpless he is within the prison, his aggression and anger is displayed when he kicks two guards down to the floor he is then hit with a large stick yelping out in agony. 

A sound bridge is then used where he is getting wacked, each hit sound shows a different location in the prison as he grunts going to the next scene of a large cage in a grey room with a woman dangling from the top doing a particular position and then to a close up of her face showing that she is a main character within the film. As she is shown a non-diegetic song is played upbeat, high tempo song she is seen wearing no makeup, with un-kept hair and a skimpy, ripped white dress. Normally white is meant to signify purity and goodness which is ironic as she is in a prison cell. The audience may be led into thinking she's the love interest within the film from her flirtatious smiling towards the guard, hair touching and suggestive moves such as sexually licking the bar at the guard. She is then knocked back from an electric shock and as her head bangs on the floor it cuts to her on the floor crawled up wearing hardly any clothing with guards surrounding her, however the camera is filled with special effects adding the colors pink, purple and green there is then a close up of her as she laughs hysterically with the screen moving forward and backwards in single beats, it is then clear that this was a memory as she acts how she is feeling with her facial expression in distress and runs up to the bar hitting her head.  

She is then knocked back from an electric shock and as her head bangs on the floor it cuts to her on the floor crawled up wearing hardly any clothing with guards surrounding her, however the camera is filled with special effects adding the colors pink, purple and green there is then a close up of her as she laughs hysterically with the screen moving forward and backwards in single beats, it is then clear that this was a memory as she acts how she is feeling with her facial expression in distress and runs up to the bar hitting her head.  

The prison has low lighting with dark, dull colors reflecting on the negative atmosphere occurring within the prison. As she is seen lying on the floor on the surveillance camera a security guard is sat back in a relaxed manner eating a takeaway implying that he has no care for what happens to the prisoners. The next scene shows a road with cars going along within dark lighting as the camera zooms in on two identical black cars pulling in which is stereotypically the government in action films. With a man in a suit stepping out holding a gun, another door opens with a women stepping out then the man closes it for her, this insinuates that she is at a high level of importance as people are guarding her. A non-diegetic voice over is then played of her voice as she is walking past  man selling superman shirts just as she is talking about him, with a flashback of a funeral the audience is then aware that superman is dead and the women is going to do something about it as she said "And that it is why I'm here" in the voice over. This leave the audience intrigued to find out more, as they do not know who she is or how she will be connected to the prisoners.