Research Into Lenses

From reasearching online I have found out some key information about lenses I will outline this information in bullet point form below:

- The MM on a lens refers to the distance from the sensor, to the point of convergence (see below image with diagram of lenses).
- A larger MM lens will act like a zoom, but only let in a smaller amount of light.
- A lens with a smaller MM will elongate, and stretch the image, whilst a larger MM lens will                                compress the image.  
- A human eye is the equivalent of a 50MM lens, so I can use this as common ground.
- A lens between 14 and 24 MM is considered to be ultra wide. A lens which is between 24 and 35MM is considered to be wide. Any lens between 35 and 70MM is considered to be standard. 70-105MM is to be mild telephoto, and anything over 105MM is telephoto.

Location For Thriller

For filming we decided to use a students bedroom, becuase we would not have to make up a set. We would only have to make minor alterations, because we will only use a shallow depth of field, meaning the background will not be in focus. We will possibly consider removing the beds to give us more space.

We may run into problems using another students bedroom for filming due to permission, as a backup we could use the studio, with a set to look like a room, this would not need much time into design because of our use of a narrow depth of field, not revealing much of the background, and making it appear as just a blur.

Research Into Costumes

Girl Costume- 

We found a white old looking floaty dress which would fit perfectly with the look, and feel of the thriller.

Man Costume-

We wanted to make the man covered, so we found a overcoat, a hat, and some cheap synthetic leather gloves. The additional items, such as tie, black trousers, and a white shirt will not have to be purchased, because it is highly likely that the actor will have the items in there possession already.

Backup- 

If we are unable to purchase the items, we will seek the items out in the theater department, and also seek them from our fellow students.

Why-

We wanted the girl to be dressed in white, because it represents innocence, and purity. It also looks like something that symbolizes death, because of the look, and floatyness of the dress.

We wanted the man to wear black, because it connotes evil, and bad intentions. We did not want to make him wear any fancy clothing, because we wanted the man to appear normal, and to allow the audience to be able to relate, and sympathize with him.

Costing-

Girls costume: £14.82

Mans costume: £61.95+£10.95+£2.55=£75.45

Total=£90.27

New Scene Outline

New scene outline:
• Sink, water coming out 
• Brushing teeth
• Spitting it out
• Tap of water dripping
• Pan of dressing table
• Clock ticking
• Eyelashes being curled
• Eyeliner being put on
• Clock ticking, fast
• Mascara being put on
• Pills and teddy bear
• Record player
• Brush hitting powder
• Powder putting on girl
• Lip stick being taken out
• Lip stick being put on lips
• Another angle of lip stick being put on 
• Brushing of hair
• Different angle of hair brush
• Curling hair
• Mans hand record being turned off
• Teddy bears eyes
• Girls eye
• Picking  up leather gloves
• Leather gloves being put on by man
• Girls feet being shown with rope
• Man walks out
• Close up on face
• Final tick on clock
• Black out.

Freshly Dead Makeup

I found the following videos, and pictures to aid us with the makeup.

Although this video is designed for Halloween I can still transfer the information.

Researching Acting Dead

I had a quick search for "how to act dead" and I found mostly sarcastic videos and websites, but looking further I found some useful information regarding how to make someone appear dead, both with editing, and acting. In summery I found that I should not use too long a shot, and also take slow shallow breaths, and do not try to hold it.

Casting

Brief-
Male aged over 40.
Teenager female aged ~17

Who?
Mike Timson- We would use him because of his features, and willingness to act.
Backup?
Mike Niland- He would be able to act as a backup, because he is set aside time to help us anyway.

Person In the Industry?
Stellan Skarsgard- He has extraordinary acting skills, and has mature/aged looking hands.


Who?
Mia McCallum- Has acting experience, has smooth skin, so the macro, closeups would not show so many imperfections.  


Backup?
Edwarda Martinas- She has young looking skin, and is talented in acting. She is studying GCSE, so she will be able to take time from lessons to act.

Person In the Industry?
Masie Williams- She would be perfect because she has very perfect skin, and her skin color is pale, meaning it would be easier to pull off that she was dead. She also has young looking skin, making the character look more vulnerable. 

I find the contrast between a man and the younger girl creates a effective cruxterposition.

Final Pitch and Feedback

Feedback From Pitch:
We were told that we should get rid of the teddy bear, becuase it makes the video loose tenstion. We were told that we should show more of his affection, to show the deep connections. We were told that we could consider having the needle of the record player jump at the end of the run, to show the speration. We were told that we should make the girl dead so that it looses the personl attachemnt with the man and girl. We were told that we should continue with the eyeliner, becuase it adds tension and makes it creepy. We were advised to try not to adhere to the little girl doing makeup stereotype.

Our Storyboard

The above storyboard shows the scene outline illustrated in a visual, and graphical way. 
It will help us in the filming, because it tells us our shot duration, location, framing, action, and the sound. 

Creating Our Storybord

To create our storyboard we first used paper to rough sketch out the storyboard, then we sketched out the storyboard on my iPad Pro, because it has superior drawing algorithms, which allowed for us to get a beautiful finish. I then pulled it up onto PhotoShop, isolated each image, set up some rulers, to drag the images onto, and added the text underneath.

Thriller Media Institution Part: 3

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer does not specialize in any particular area, but instead currently focuses on current trends. MGM used to be very successful, and was slow to move with current changes, believing in keeping traditions alive, and using older techniques and style in film. The traditional approach to film did not go so well for them in the early 2,000s, MGM had to file for bankruptcy early in 2013, but with heavy investment aw a revival in  late 2013. Since the they have been very successful with the "jump street" series of films, along with several other films. Now that MGM have increased in wealth they are obviously looking for new film ideas, I beive ours is perfect, because it follows current trends, and sounds intresting on a poster, or trailer. 

From the limited information available online I have decided that MGM tailors for a mass market male audience, this fits in perfectly with our thriller.

 

Thriller Media Institution Part:2

Above is a screen shot of the MGM website, and I could could picture our thriller within this list. MGM specializes in a range of films, and has made high budget films like 21 Jump Street, and also many low budget films. I believe that our thriller wold  be a medium budget film with the main character being played by a famous actor to attract more customers.

Our film would make money by initially marketing the film, and creating hype, and then selling merchandise to use for self promotion. The film would be released  in the following order; chain cinema (they also help promote the film with posters, and they have a large customer base), after that we would team up with iTunes to have a early pre-release, and then  release it on DVD, and a mount later release on Blue Ray to add a additional selling point, and to reduce the decline of the film. When the film is not selling many copies we wold release it on instant video sites such as Nextflix so that revenue per view would be generated.

Thriller Media Institution Part:1

I believe that Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) would want to make our thriller, because it closely ties into there past thrillers, and also because our thriller has a fully rounded storyline, hand will engage a audience, whilst also attracting new and existing media consumers.

MGM have made similar films to ours, such as Carrie, Believers, and Amnityville.

 

The above clip shows the trailer for Carrie, which I deem to have a similar style to our thriller, because of  the traits, and pure creepiness of both.

Storyboarding

Example Storyboard

A story board is a basic way of sketching out your whole  film.

Now storyboarding saves both time and money, because all departments, and teams can be on the same page, and can all the precise shot that needs to be taken. in a worst case scenario people can argue on set waiting  time, and essentially waisting money, as actors, and money to rent a area will cost money, and can increase the overall cost of the film dramatically, if storyboarding is not used.

Overall storyboarding is a visual aid to simplify your idea, which can aid in making a plan, and promoting creativity, it is also very good for planning the technical aspects, and figuring out how a production will be approached. It is much cheaper to spend time, and resources in pre production, it also visually allows everyone to be on the same page regarding the visual side.

For out thriller opening scene it will be really important to use storyboarding because we only have one day to shoot in the studio, meaning that we need to make shore that we are all on the same page, and to reduce all decision making to a minimum, so that we do not waste our precious time. We can also visualise and change our idea, and still all be on the same page. We can also give the storyboard to our actors, and they will know exactly what is needed of them.

Pitch

Mood Board For Thriller

Pitch;
A girl being dressed up as a doll. The audience does not know throughout that the man is dressing her up. She is drugged out. At the end the audience realises that she was not doing it herself, but the man was doing it all along.

Step By Step;
• Sink, water coming out

• Brushing teeth

• Spitting it out

• Tap of water dripping 
• Pan of dressing table 
• Clock ticking
• Eyelashes being curled
• Eyeliner being put on 

• Clock ticking, fast
• Mascara being put on
• Pills and teddy bear
• Record player
• Brush hitting powder
• Powder putting on girl
• Lip stick being taken out
• Lip stick being put on lips
• Another angle of lip stick being put on  
• Brushing of hair
• Different angle of hair brush 
• Curling hair

• Mans hand record being turned off
• Teddy bears eyes 
• Girls eye
• Picking  up leather gloves
• Leather gloves being put on by man
• Girls feet being shown with rope
• Man walks out
• Close up on face 
• Final tick on clock
• Black out.


Casting;
Man aged 40+
Girl aged 16-18

Location;

A bedroom ( we would use a bedroom in one of the boarding houses in case we don't find a room to our likings we will build a bedroom in the studio)