FILMING TECHNIQUES:

Filming was one part of my roles and responsibilities. In filming there are many different techniques:
Cinematic Techniques:
In filming the use of various shot sizes can affect the meaning of what the audience think the shot means.

Common shot sizes:
-gives the audience a sense of location.
-generally used as a scene-setting.
- it normally shows an exterior, eg a building, or a landscape.
-there will be very little detail in the shot, it's meant to give a general impression.
-isolation, vulnerability and space.
-often cities, countryside or scenic views.

Long shot:
- all or nearly all of the standing person fits into the camera frame.
- shows the audience a large scale action.
- gives the audience the full view of a person for understanding.
-plenty of background detail still emerges.
Medium shot:
- character shown from waist up on the camera.
-normally used for dialogue scenes.
-any more than three figures and the shot tends to become a long shot.
-background detail is minimal.
Close-up shot:
- shows the head and neck of a character.
- facial expressions are very important close-up shots for reactions.
- this shows very little background, and concentrates on an object.
- the close-up takes us into the mind of a character.
Extreme close-up shot:
-Very small objects or facial features are in the camera frame.

-Good for tension.

-Shows the audience a specific image.

-Generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would experience in reality.
-The tight focus required on the camera, to let the audience see detail.

I already know a range of camera shots due to AS level media studies, when i used a camera to produce my front image for the magazine.

The Field of View (FOV) is the angle described by a cone with the vertex at the camera's position. It is determined by the camera's focal length, with the shorter the focal length the wider the FOV. For example, for a 35mm lens the FOV is 63 degrees (wide-angle), for a 50 mm lens it is 46 degrees (normal), and for a 135 mm lens it is 18 degrees (telephoto). A wide angle lens exaggerates depth while a telephoto lens minimizes depth differences.
Camera Angle:

The camera angle helps to determine the point of view of the camera.

Viewers expect the camera to show a level horizon. If the camera is not then it appears different to the audience.

A birds eye shot:

This shows a scene from directly overhead, a very unnatural and strange angle. Familiar objects viewed from this angle might seem totally unrecognisable at first (umbrellas in a crowd, dancers' legs). This shot does, however, put the audience in a godlike position, looking down on the action. People can be made to look insignificant, ant-like, part of a wider scheme of things. It's like looking to the ground out of an aeroplane.

Uses of Birds Eye View Shots: Camera Angles: All About Camera Angles and Moving Shots eHow.com

High angle shot:

Not so extreme as a bird's eye view. The camera is elevated above the action using a crane or a tripod to give a general overview. High angles make the object photographed seem smaller, and less significant (or scary). The object or character often gets swallowed up by their setting - they become part of a wider picture.This angle is good for looking down on someone showing vulnerability.

Uses of High Angle View Shots: Camera Angles: All About Camera Angles and Moving Shots eHow.com

Low angle shot:
These increase height and help give a sense of confusion to a viewer, of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The background of a low angle shot will tend to be just sky or ceiling, the lack of detail about the setting adding to the disorientation of the viewer. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.It can also show authority of the person who is in the frame, as the audience is looking up to them.

Uses of Low Angle Shots: Camera Angles: All About Camera Angles and Moving Shots eHow.com

Eye level shot:

A fairly neutral shot; the camera is positioned as though it is a human actually observing a scene, so that eg actors' heads are on a level with the focus. The camera will be placed approximately five to six feet from the ground, as if the audience were on level with what is happening in the frame.

Uses of Eye Level Shots: Camera Angles: All About Camera Angles and Moving Shots eHow.com

Point of view shot/ over the should shot:

Uses of Over The Shoulder Shots: Camera Moves: All About Camera Angles and Moving Shots eHow.com

Camera moves:

Different camera moves help make the film or feature look more realistic. Doing things which a person would do, like, look around, makes the audience believe they’re watching something from a point of view.

Panning shots:

Panning is often used to follow a moving object or character. It can also be used to establish a shot, like panning a room to get the full mise-en-scene. It is likewise used as a transition between one camera position and another.

Uses of Pan Shots: Camera Moves: All About Camera Angles and Moving Shots eHow.com

Tilted angle shots:

Good for dramatic scenes, another different angle which the audience aren't familiar with as its not a normal viewing angle.

Uses of Tilted Angle Shots: Camera Angles: All About Camera Angles and Moving Shots eHow.com

Tilting shots:

A movement which scans a scene vertically.

Uses of Tilt Shots: Camera Moves: All About Camera Angles and Moving Shots eHow.com

Dolly and Tracking shots:

A dolly is a small wheeled vehicle, piloted by a dolly grip, which is used to move a camera around in a scene. A dolly shot is a move in and out of a scene, i.e., the movement is parallel to the camera lens axis. A tracking shot is a movement perpendicular to the camera lens axis. The key to these shots is to have realistic motion. The motion can be judged by looking at how fast humans move and then how many frames it would take to realize this motion. Examples of motion at different speeds are given in the table below.

Hand held shots:

The hand-held movie camera first saw widespread use during World War II, when news reporters took their windup Arriflexes and Eyemos into the heat of battle, producing some of the most arresting footage of the twentieth century. Hand held cameras denote a certain kind of gritty realism, and they can make the audience feel as though they are part of a scene, rather than viewing it from a detached, frozen position.

Uses of Handheld Shots: Camera Moves: All About Camera Angles and Moving Shots eHow.com

TITLE OF HORROR TRAILER:

As a group we chose five different titles of which the film could be called. And as we couldn't really decide we made a questionnaire for the targetted audience. The results lead to the title 'Infliction'. Infliction means the act or process of imposing out something unpleasant. Something, such as punishment, that is inflicted.

The title is perfect for the synopsis of the film too!

Here are different types of font for the title... decisions, decisions!

SOUND:

Diegetic Sound: is generated by things we can see in the picture. It is sound that is heard by the character in the film. Things like trees rustling, wind, standing on leaves and a song on a radio.

Non-Diegetic Sound: Raw footage is usually enhanced through the addition of non-diegetic sound, usually in the form of music or voice over.

Soundtracks: Previously-recorded music chosen because of its fit to the rhythm, content and mood of a sequence. If a song, the lyrics may add meaning to the film.

Voice over: The most efficient way to record a voice over is to find the quietest room possible and speak directly into the camera microphone. You can either record your own voice or find someone who suits the position better to do it. Remembering the gender, age and status of the person doing it will have different effects on the trailer/film its recorded for, as all of them will have implications for the meaning of the text used.

Sound Effects: Sometimes you just have to fake the sounds within the frame. Sound effects are often used to heighten realism by adding in sound at a crucial moment. Often you can download free sound effects to fit within the trailer.

DIALOGUE:

Film trailers often use dialogue of the characters over separate clips to explain the plot or create atmosphere. It is a much more naturalistic way of doing things. This is prominant in '30 Days of Night'. Where the casts dialogue is played over the top of the music to create suspense. Making the audience want to know the rest of the film.

MUSIC:

Film trailers often use music from existing films, as they are put together long before the music is composed. They use music or songs appropriate to the genre, and often use several different tracks depending on the particular moment in the trailer. Like in a horror or thriller movie, a fast-paced/rock genre music would be used to connotate the eeiriness and pace of the film.

I have decided to use Muse-Hysteria' within the horror trailer as it is very fast paced as relates well to the trailer. It is the type of music you expect to be played in the background of a horror trailer.





I have currently e-mail Rich Costey who is the record producer of Muse, asking for permission to feature their music on my trailer. Just in case of copyright terms and conditions.

Hysteria by Muse has currently featured inthe film "Millions"by the famous Danny Boyle. It had two Muse songs in it. I think the song will relate better to my trailer because of the horror genre, whereas Millions is a comedy/family/drama genre.

Hysteria is also featured on the Guerlain perfume advertisement with Hilary Swank. But, I still think it sounds better and attracts the audience alot more when combined with a suspenseful/tense trailer.

TEXT CARDS:

Text cards are often used within a trailer to create suspense, or help the audience understand a little about the film without giving too much away. Most film trailers use this as it's not just based on the genre of the trailer/film. Text cards are normally on a plain background, not over a scene, this is because it adds more effect when they're fading in and out, as it makes the audience want to know the next one.

In our trailer we are going to use text cards to add suspense to the fast-paced horror genre.

QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS:

QUESTIONNAIRE:

MY TRAILER PLOT:

Chloe and Jade are two girls which have been best friends ever since they were little. But everything changed when Chloe found out her soul mate had committed suicide due to being bullied. Chloe has more of an interest in her best friend than anyone knew about, but this becomes apparant to everyone when she becomes silent and stalks the bullies in grief. The bigheaded jocks who caused this loss, soon start to panic, when one-by-one they start to disappear. But who is causing this? There's an eerie feeling when the pupils talk about the bullied dead girl, and torture scene commences in the woods. But who has caused who the most pain?

HORROR FILMS OUT NOW:

>The synopsis of The Exorcist:
A movie actress taking up temporary residence in Washington D.C. has her troubles. The script for the movie she's filming seems inadequate. Her ex, who is also the father of her adolescent daughter, Regan, neglects to call the girl on her birthday. And the attic has rats. Meanwhile, Father Karras, a priest and a psychiatrist, is losing his faith; and he's dealing with a sick mother who needs medical care he hasn't the money to provide. Another priest, the old and ailing Father Merrin, has just returned from Iraq with forebodings of evil. These three persons meet when the sweet and cheerful Regan turns foul-mouthed and violent. But her sickness is beyond the reach of a medical doctor or a psychiatrist. What Regan needs is an exorcist.

The synopsis of Orphan:
Kate and John Coleman are rebuilding their troubled marriage. Kate had a drinking problem, but is in therapy and is doing well. She has been sober for one year. The couple decides to adopt a child. When they meet the nine-year-old Estonian girl, Esther, at the St. Marina Orphanage, they immediately fall in love with the well-educated orphan. Their young son, Daniel, is hostile to his new sister; but their deaf-mute daughter, little Max, is enchanted with her - at first. Eventually, Kate begins to feel that Esther is manipulative and possibly even psychologically disturbed. John refuses to listen to his wife's misgivings, and the wounds in their marriage reopen. Kate calls Sister Abigail at the orphanage, and the nun informs her that Esther has a troubled and mysterious history. Kate delves further into Esther's past and discovers she is not at all who she pretends to be.

TRAILERS:

Trailers consist of a series of selected shots from the film. The purpose of the trailer is to attract an audience to the film, so, these shots are usually drawn from the most exciting, funny, or otherwise noteworthy parts of the film but in a shortened form so there are no spoilers. So there are no spoilers the scenes from the film are not necessarily in the order in which they appear in the film. A trailer has to achieve that in less than two and a half minutes, the maximum length allowed by the MPAA.

TWO TYPES OF TRAILER:

TEASER TRAILER: Put together while the film is still being filmed. No more than 1:30 in length, just enough to give audiences an idea of what to expect.

THEATRICAL TRAILER: Put together towards the end of shooting/after the film has finished shooting, but while they are in post-production. Between 1:30-2:30 in length.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITES:

We decided to share the roles and responsibilities out fairly so that everyone in the group had a certain job/role to carry out.

Myself: the costumes within the trailer, and acting with the trailer and filming.

Thomas: Props, locations and acting.

Jennifer: will be directing the trailer and keeping up with the continuity.

Chloe: will be filming the trailer and will be in charge of the lighting.

Instead of having one of us doing the editing by ourselves, we decided to work as a team on finalising the editing stages. This was decided because the editing within the trailer is such a massive part, and it would be unrealistic for one person to carry out this role.

A2 PROPOSAL:

In year 13, my aim is to create a practical production consisting of a horror film trailer, a poster and a magazine cover. I'm going to be working as part of a team, including: myself, Jennifer Buck, Chloe Edwards and Thomas Hannett which should be a good decision as we all have good knowledge and interesting opinions on the horror genre. We decided to make a horror trailer as we think it will be more challenging and interesting to work on than a music video. We want our trailer to look as good as those on the market today, such as 'Orphan' and 'The Exorist'.

A2 MEDIA STUDIES