Group 1 Final Film Opening- Growing Pains

This is the our finished opening sequence, we have exported it from premiere pro as a HD video, and uploaded it onto video sharing website YouTube( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKxQ4TmyoS0)

Sound Mix

When Editing our project, we realised that it was necessary to edit the volume levels of individual clips throughout the sequence in order to create a professional sounding opening. We used the volume and denoiser audio effects in order to correct the sound in particular shots, lowering background noise when necessary to make the dialogue clearer.

Using Audio effects to improve sound in one of the shots

Pre-production- Updated Script

In order to make our script more relevant, interesting and engaging, we made changes to create a more realistic conversation between the female characters.

1)    INT. COUNCIL ESTATE STAIRWAY - DAY

LOUIS, 17, white, skates past camera. Wearing... Focused on his skating and ensuring that he doesn’t mess up.

A mixture of tilted-mid shots, close ups, and a POV from the skateboard itself. 25 seconds.

2)    EXT. URBAN STREETS - DAY

Cuts to VIVIAN and FRIEND, both 17 and black. Walking down street. VIVIAN is clearly the classier of the two as FRIEND is dressed in a full tracksuit and snapback. TWO SHOT.

FRIEND – Oi it’s so dead round here these days L

VIV – No fully like why did we even leave your house there’s nothing to do

FRIEND – But to be honest there’s fuck all to do in my house

VIV – Yeah but now we look like dickheads standing out here and its sooo cold 

FRIEND – Shut up man you’re always complaining

VIV – Skeen,

*PAUSE*

VIV - I should probably go get my dad’s medicine

FRIEND – Should I come with you?

VIV – Nah it’s calm

FRIEND – Alright, come back to mine after

VIV – Okay

FRIEND – bye 

*FRIEND and VIVIAN hug*

FRIEND leaves scene as VIVIAN continues walk to bus stop.

Music

Initially we were going to use this royalty free music from a website we found online














During editing of the final cut we decided that this music was more appropriate because it connotes the thought-provoking indie atmosphere that we are trying to create.

Main Shoot: Photo Evidence

Here are just a few action shots of us filming.

The actors in role for the final scene

Mari Taking control of the camera on set

Vivian and Gina getting into role

Group 1 and actors on set 

Pre-production- Shoot board

This is our shoot board for the final shoot: 

Colour Grading

When grading our footage, we wanted to achieve a gritty urban look similar to that of the TV show Misfits. To achieve this, all bright colours were dulled. This meant keeping the saturation, contrast and brightness low. We used Procamp and Three-way colour corrector to grade our shots.

The colour of the jumpsuits before grading

Scene once graded

Prop List

In order to make our sequence appear more genuine and realistic we decided to use some everyday items that one would expect to see in the scene we are trying to create.

Props:


iPhones - Louis, Vivian and Gina will each provide and use their own iPhone. The iPhone is the standard phone/gadget that most of today's youth own.

Skateboard - provided and used by Louis. It is a stereotype that white middle class teenagers, living in an urban environment,  enjoy the activity of skateboarding.

KA drink - purchased at the local corner shop and held by Gina. KA is a drink, packaged in small carton, that is normally affiliated with black and mixed race people living in the more deprived areas of London

GoPro with stand - provided by The Latymer School, comes with multiple pads that are used to stick the GoPro camera to the skateboard. The GoPro is a small camera which will allow us to capture unique shots that are viewed from the point of view of the skateboard itself.

Pre-production- Weather Forecast - March 1st and 2nd

The weather forecast for 1/3/14 and 2/3/14 as seen on the BBC website. On Saturday, there is not only a high chance of rain throughout the day, but it is also colder than Sunday. Therefore, it would make more sense to film on Sunday as there would be no rain to interfere with shots and it would also be more comfortable for the actors as they wont be wet and cold.

Test shoot finished edit

This is our finished edit of the test shoot, after exporting the video we uploaded to youtube where we can review it:

Test Edit

This is our completed test shoot:





From this we were able to pick out what worked and what didn't work so that we can better it in our main shoot.

Location 2

For the section of the main shoot where Louis is skating and both characters go to the bus stop, we decided to relocate to an area that provided us to create a continuous journey on the skateboard to the bus stop and allowed us to get all the shots that we wanted using both the camera and the Go-Pro.

This bus stop instead of the one we used previously allowed us plenty of room to take a master shot from the front, whereas the other one had limited space infront of it so it didn't look as good.

Pre-production-Location Map

Map showing the area and specific streets in which our opening will be shot:

The route which Louis will take on skateboard, in the opening:

Test shoot: Photos

Mari and Vivian Operating the Camera taking some establishing shots of Louis on his skateboards

Louis helping reposition the camera

Treatment Proposal Feedback- Costume

- Consider weather, interpret coats into the costume
- Vivian would have a smartphone not a Nokia. Everyone (especially of her age) has a smart phone.

Treatment Proposal Feedback- Script

- Sounded too comical and appeared to mock our characters not matching the naturalistic themes of the opening.
- Careful use of slang, not to over do it.

New Script:

Treatment- Location and Filming Dates

Location: Cheshunt

Estate

 

Road

                 
            

           

Bus Stop

Louis Skateboard Sequence

Why: Hardly ever any people in the area, therefore easier to shoot without human interference's, the backdrop of the estate with Louis within it introduces the idea that cultures will collide in this film

Filming Dates: 

Test Shoot: Sat 08/02/2014


Shoot: Sat 01/03/2014


                                                         Re-shoot: 08/03/2014

Permissions

Our filming will take place in public, therefore we do not need to acquire any specific permissions in order to film, however we will ensure that all proposed memebers of the cast are available for our set period of filming, in order to ensure that it runs smoothly and successfully and give them warning beforehand incase we have to change the dates at all

we have the permission of our school to use the camera and microphone equipment at their terms.

Treatment- Camera Techniques, Mise-en-scene, Composition and Continuity

Camera Techniques

Skate Sequence:

Go Pro

Low Angle Shots

Mise-en-scene:

Costume

Boy

Almost every item of clothing is quite an expensive brand which shows fashion consciousness and availability of money due to middle class background.
Accessories:  Earphones in listening to music on an iPhone for age representation  cigarette behind ear to show ‘indie’ boy stereotype. 

Girl

Costume: Own personal style, quite urban and casual, only one expensive item (Nike Air Max’s in picture) as working class so money is limited but as a teenager feels the need to remain on trend in some way.
Accessories: Holdiing and interacting with Apple iPhone to conform to age and class representation

Continuity

We will abide to the rules of continuity throughout the opening, especially in the conversation between the two girls where we will use shot reverse shot. 

Treatment- Titles

In order to decide on a font and the style of our title, we looked at similar films to ours to see how they decided to present their fonts.

- Simplistic fonts for example courier 

- Subtly placed on image

e.g. Somers Town

From looking at Somers Town, we instantly knew we liked the simplistic, subtle font and title placement and will therefore mimic this in our titles.

The order in which the titles appear will be as follows:
Pigeon Productions (Our own production company), Film 4 (Distributors) , BFI Films (Funding)
Then director, assistant director, camera man, actors names etc will appear on the shot image. 

Treatment- Visual Style

As a british British Teen Drama, the opening sequence will focus on presenting the moods of the two main characters at the present moment in their lives- iitaially a rather closed, emotionless mood expected of teens, uninterested by their current lives

Both characters have their own focuses during the opening- vivian friends and louis skateboarding

As a drama, we have ensured to place emphasis on the fateful meeting of the character, leaving the viewer uncertain as to the relationship that has been sparked and engaging them whilst also indicating what the narrative revolves around: love struck teens with racial contrasting- white vs black- stereotypes clear but also opposed

similar to somers town and submarine- both british- open with music and introduce main characters with little dialogue- more focused on setting the scene

Submarine Opening Sequence: 

Lighting

We will start filming early in the day in order to both ensure pedestrian flow is as low as possible and also so that we can utilize the short-lasting daylight at this time of year, and ensure for continuity reasons that the lighting is not lost as filming progresses, preventing the need for extra lighting equipment and avoiding the risk of running out of shoot time.

We aim to use only natural lighting to retain the gritty natural look of a British urban drama

Misfits- British Urban Drama TV Show

Ensuring Professional Style

We will ensure that our film looks professional by:

- Following the rules of continuity

- Having producer and distributor logos at the beginning of the opening
- Shooting with professional equipment

Tripod