Location Scouting

In our original plan for our film opening, our desired location was in the centre of Leeds as it was an urban feel and also a popular city in the UK and therefore conventional for an Action film. However, due to filming limitations we could not, but we did find an authentic location in our home town. 




 For example the site next to Spooners which gives the appearance of an urban wasteland. Urban wastelands/building sites are conventional in Action Films, for example, Casino Royale's film opening. Our location is displayed in the image below.

Spooners in overcast weather

   

There are also several alley ways which also achieve the look we want.



Source- https://wattfilms.blogspot.co.uk

Chapel Town First Draft Mock Essay

Analyse how class and status is represented in the opening of White Chapel

Camera shots, angle, movement and composition

The opening is fast paced and uses a montage that includes many extreme close ups of classic crime dramas. For example, the newspaper which signifies a middle class environment and character. The shots were handheld when filming the front line working class police officer which presents them in an inferior way compared to the steady tracking shots they used to present the middle class gentleman in the lounge. The steady tracking shot they used was from behind bars which could represent the working class looking in on life as a middle class chief officer.

Low angle shots were used to present the suspected killer through the working class part of London, these signifies that a criminal has power in a working class society, whereas the police officer in the streets was presented with a high angle showing vulnerability and weakness to the killer.

During the scenes with the killer there was a dutch angle used to show that something is going to go wrong and it was also a low angle tracking back to the killers feet - who is in narrative enigma. 

Editing

The opening uses plenty of match cuts between the working class and the middle class group of men. For example, when the youth threw a rock it match cuts to ice falling into a privileged chief officer’s glass for his whiskey. This shows how the middle class are so unaware of the issues that the classes below them go through. Also, during the scenes with the middle class there is plenty of shot reverse shot which is a sophisticated way of showing a conversation, whereas when the working class are shown they are over the shoulder shots which provide mystery to the emotion of characters. 

Sound

There is a non-diegetic continuous sound track throughout that adapts and develops between the two classes. During the scenes on the streets the music is tense and unnerving, on the other hand, when we are in the lounge, the music has violins and other middle class orchestral instruments that are relaxing. The accents of the characters heavily show the different classes they represent, the men in the lounge speak very stereotypical middle class, Queens English whereas the woman portraying the police woman had a cockney accent that denotes a poorer background for the character. The woman was much more informal in her speech than her middle class counterparts. For example she would refer to her colleague by her first name rather than her surname.

Mise-en-Scéne

The chief officers have dark hair and formal suits which represent them to be superior to the informal youths on the street in the juxtaposing scenes. The youths have the stereotypical British ‘chav’ outfit of a hoodie and monochrome clothing and they are also presented as aggressive which is negatively presenting the working class community.

The lighting of the street scenes are dark with a hint of green lighting when something negative is about to happen on screen. Inside the lounge, it is light also with green with some of the props. The bright light inside connotes a positive atmosphere but it does also have dramatic irony in the fact that the audience know that what they are talking about does not apply to reality.

The working class section of London has cobbled streets which is unusual in modern day London and gives anchorage to the fact that the programme is based upon copycat events based upon 120 years ago when cobbled streets were more common.

The Brief: Screen Play

The protagonist is seen stood central in the frame at a high angle and extreme long shot. In a crowd of people in a busy urban area. There is non-diegetic heartbeat audio that builds suspense. The camera zooms in frame by frame in time with the heartbeats to the protagonists hand - who is holding a bag. 

The protagonist raises his hand to his ear as if he is receiving information through an earpiece. A non-diegetic woman's voice is heard.

The Woman: Agent Cross? Agent Cross, an enemy hostile 6 o'clock. Get back to HQ now!

Protagonist drops his hand and non-diegetic fast paced music begins. The protagonist sprints towards an alleyway with the unrevealed antagonist following closely behind. There is a low angle shot of the protagonist sprinting towards the camera, as he sprints over the camera and passes the camera, it cuts to him sprinting away from the camera in a different location and in training form.

The chase continues to a large field where a first person camera will be filming from the antagonists point of view with the protagonist a few metres ahead. A steady tracking shot of the protagonists feet with a shallow depth of field to still keep the antagonist in narrative enigma.

The protagonist jumps and climbs a wall where it match cuts to a wide armed pull up in a gym scenario with a shallow depth of field. The protagonist gets cornered in a industrial area and there is an extreme close up, shot reverse shot between the two character's facial expressions. The protagonist drops the bag and as the bag hits the floor the screen goes black for a second. The antagonist looks in the bag, then looks up slowly, moving from the camera in the bag to a go pro (first person camera) and realises the protagonist has fled, it then cuts to a close up of the protagonist looking over his shoulder while on the bridge above the train station, with the camera stopping and watching the protagonist walking away over the bridge.

Planning and Production

Source- https://wattfilms.blogspot.co.uk

Our primary target audience is going to be a male audience ranging from the ages 15-30. In order to attract this audience we are going to have fast paced action, the short clips along with the fast cuts will be appropriate for the younger audience because it will keep them interested. We are also featuring a male protagonist and antagonist because our male audience will be able to relate and possibly even be inspired by them. Also, our secondary target audience is females of the same age range. This is because we have an attractive male protagonist that will address the female gaze. There is also a potential romance that could develop between the protagonist and his female side-kick, romance will attract a more female audience as well. The primary geographical location of our target audience will be the working class Northern audience. This is because we are planning to film in a rural setting (possibly some form of wasteland). However, two of the actors involve have regional accents connected to the south of England. Thus attracting a more southern audience and possibly even a middle class audience.

This shows the days we tried to film. We weren't always able to follow this however due to external limitations out of our control. We did however work around them to get it done for the deadline. For example we failed to film on the 21st of March however we were able to film on the 28th which is of course evident from the diary. 

evidence of planning; our Facebook Media chat

further evidence of our planning

Tyrannasaur Swede

My Pitch w/ Q&A

Pitch Video

Film Openings Vodcast

Warp - Barry Ryan

This Is England

• $1.8m
• Directed by Shane Meadows
• 6 week shoot, 18 week edit
• 1.2 million viewers of the film
• 2.2 million watched the first episode of the TV show
• Channel 4 own the rights for This Is England (through Film4)
• Channel 4 can only play it twice
• Film budget $2.2m
• TV budget $2.6 for 4 hours (less money per hourt than film)

TV

• Fur TV (2007-present)
• This Is England '86
• Midnight Beast
• This Is England '88
• Sky Arts
• Talking To The Dead
• Midnight Beast 2
• This Is England '90
• The Last Panther

Feature Films

• 2003-2013
• Dead Man's Shoes
• This Is England
• Donkey Punch
• Submarine
• Four Lions
• Tyrannosaur
• Kill List
• Total of 16
• Story telling can be translated from TV to film
• Film higher paid than TV (due to "snob value")

Atonement Opening Analysis

ATONEMENT

(Joe Wright, 2007)
Produced by Working Title (+2); distribution: Universal
Budget:$30m
Box Office: $130m (world); $51m (USA), £11.5m

The titles in this opening include:

• Universal (company idents)
• Working title (company idents)
• Universal pictures presents
• In association with studio canal and relativity media
• A working title production
• Atonement       

The titles in this film are unconventionally short and there are only 6 which is strange. Usually there can be up to approximately 30 titles at the start of a movie. This however allows the user to get straight into the film. The title sequence includes 2 company dents including: universal (the distribution company) and working title which can be identified as the production company. The sequence then includes 4 titles which all follow the same format of a black background with white text which follows the conventional documentary style opening giving it a sense of importance. The universal ident lasts 20 seconds whereas the working title ident lasts 10 seconds. This creates the effect that universal is bigger and more important than working title. The opening title sequence (and idents) lasts exactly 52 seconds which again is unconventionally short in regards to film opening durations.

The title 'ATONEMENT' then appears as to be written by a type writer to signify the time period in which it was set achieving a sense of verisimilitude.

The transition into the main film sequence and into the 1st shot is a sudden frame switch which takes place at 53 seconds. This is an example of a cut shot as there is no smooth transition between the frames.

The opening of this movie includes a variety of things which can be connoted and detonated. For example at the start after the titles have played you can simply hear a type writer. This is an example of verisimilitude as it shows that the movie is set in the time of the typewriter, 1939 to be exact. The first shot is one of a big child's play house. This can be denoted to signify wealth and childhood. It also helps the setting of the first scene which is in the bedroom of a young girl. The setting of the whole opening of the movie is mainly in this one house. The camera then follows a long trail of child's toys which further signifies the fact of wealth and the abundance of non-essential play toys.

The sound of the type write keeps playing throughout the first couple of scenes. This is an example of diegetic audio which allows the reader to understand that there is actually a type writer present in the scene. the room in which the first scene is filmed is a big posh children bedroom which again signifies to the viewer the extent of the wealth that the people of the house own.

You quickly learn from the scene that the girl is writing a play which sets the story line going for the film. The girl in context to the whole film may be seen as an antagonist as she plays a part in a sinister role throughout the film. As the girl leaves the room the pace of the recurring type writer increases even though the girl has actually stopped using it. This is an example of non-diegetic audio. This increase in pace works with the fast pace of the girl almost running through the massive estate which is her home. 

The use of camera shots varies between shot reverse shot which aids the viewer in seeing the whole conversation which is involved in the shot reverse shot, and the use of other shots such as close ups which the 1st shot is. The 1st shot is somehow ironic in the sense that it is a close up shot of a doll's house representation of the house in which the film is set. This then leads to the medium over the shoulder shot which sets the scene and introduces the main character.

Source: http://wongproductions.blogspot.co.uk

Bridget Jones' Diary Opening Analysis

Bridget Jones's Diary

Genre: 
Rom-Com
Romantic Comedy...


The Players:
Richard Curtis- Wrote the original book of which the film was based upon, Andrew Davies adapted that to create the film.

Production Budget:
According to box office mojo, the procession budget was: 
$25 Million

Production Companies

The first few shots taken from Bridget Jones's Diary are the production companies involved in making of Bridget Jones's Diary.

'Working Title' are a major film company, and attract the biggest stars, typically American, and if British, white and southern, this is because, from a marketing point of view, this sells more copies, therefore, more income for Working Title, which is the primary focus of the company.

-4 company idents:

-Universal Studios // 20 seconds

-Studio Canal // 16 seconds
-Miramax Films // 14 seconds

-Working Title // 10 seconds
Altogether 60 seconds

The 1st Shot:

• In BJD, the opening shot contains the main character, with a medium close up shot. Rarely do you see the main characters face immediately, however due to the nature of the film, it is logical with reference to the non-diegetic sound of her thoughts, therefore we can see who's voice it is, helping the viewer follow the plot. 

• Female main character, this could suggest it relates to girls more than guys, potentially making it a romantic film, or 'chick flick'. Uses cross fade for transition between shots. The mise en scene has only a small level of importance, however, it is key in determining the time of year and what this could denote it is Christmas/winter due to the weather (snow).

• The film opening lasts 11 minutes and 54 seconds.

• The opening sequence begins at 60 seconds / 1 minute.

Titles

• Main Title is in bold, and a larger font than the subtitles




Non Serif.
Positioned left side of the screen.
They include names of directors and procures etc
Each last the same length of time and fade in and out
each are the same size apart from the main title
The size of the sub titles don't change, signifying each person has contrubted the same to the overall production and making of the film
The job of which each person named is smaller and thinner, whereas the name is a bigger font and in bold.
the colour stays the same throughout
there is no animation to the titles 
 

Subtitles before main title...

• These subtitles come before the main title... 'Bridget Jones's Diary', the subtitles are a lot thinner in comparison, this could denote that every person involved in production adds up to something much bigger, 
• Signified by the font // Serif font.
• All positioned on the left and in the same font and size.
• 19 subtitles in total before main title
• Each title has a 9-10 second gap between each one and last for 4 seconds each
• Overall the subtitles last 1 minute and 40 seconds after 1 minute of company idents.

Sound, Music:

• The opening sequence has non diegetic and diegetic sound.

• Non diegetic is in the opening shot, we hear 'Bridget Jones's' thoughts over watching her go to her mums for Christmas denoted by the heavy snow, which leads to verisimilitude.
• 
  

• All By Myself, as linked at the top - https://youtu.be/t8iTZm8-mbA

Characters:

The opening scene follows the main character, and uses non diagetic speach from her, from this we get to know the character and can see things from her perspective. There is also binary opposition between 'Bridget', and a 'divorced single man' who her mother tries unsuccessfully to set her up with to begin with.


Shot Variety:
The shot type varies throughout the opening sequence, including and establishing shot in the opening scene. Along with a close up which brings power to the scene.

Source: http://shottype.blogspot.co.uk

Le Donk & Scor-Zay-Zee Opening Analysis

Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee

(Shane Meadows, 2009)

Produced by Big Arty Productions and Warp Films

Budget £48,000 (estimated)

Rock roadie, Le Donk, has lived, loved and learned. Along the way, he's lost a classy girlfriend but gained a sidekick, Scorz-Ayz-Ee. He sets out to make Scorz a star with a little help from the Artic Monkeys.[Source IMDB]

Shot By Shot Break Down
Overall, the opening sequence is about 2.5 minutes long, and includes 21 overall titles that last for 1:40 minutes and the first shots before the titles lasting for 55 seconds.
The film seems to be trying for verisimilitude, as it doesn't start with a montage and non-diegetic sound, but with a long-shot of one of the main characters. There isn't much of a narrative enigma, but this works as it fits with the characters (who seem rather unintelligent) and are rather unsubtle

• This is the first shot of the film. There are no titles - it simply cuts in with a close up shot of the sign on the caravan and then zooms out to reveal the whole caravan (that shifts ever so slightly) of one of the characters in the middle third. All the sound is diegetic. It can be denoted that the character looks what you would call 'chavy' or quite Americanised, he is wearing an American football jersey and red jogging bottoms: this exposes to us that the character is extremely influenced by America, and given that the audience is likely to also be very influenced by America they are likely immediately relate to the character. A narrative enigma is created briefly as an audience wonders what he is going to say and what's going to happen next. The lack of titles seems to have been done to create a strong sense of verisimilitude (as this is a sort a music video)

• The music video style of the whole opening denotes that the film will have some sort of music theme to it the is also shown in the opening titles were the almost documentary 'behind the scene' style filming turns into a cartoon.

• This could also denote the childish nature of the film which charts the character almost growing up in the music world.

Opening Credits (in order)

21

• The next shot after the cartoon aspect of the film if a shot of a run-down street the immediately suggests the social class of the characters of the film as working class or poor this is due to the run down nature of the neighbour hood and the cars (a big telling factor in when making assumptions with films) this also ties in with the opening shots as before the titles start which shows the to characters exiting a 'run down' caravan (as can been seen in the start of the blog post)

• After that shot the door in front of the camera opens and when are presented with the main character who tries to be funny in a childish sense. This immediately presents the character as fun and the film as a fun film instead of a serious documentary as appose to the documentary style it is in.

Source: http://f9films.blogspot.co.uk