One Step Ahead

One Step Ahead:

Final Film

One Step Ahead Evaluation

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Audience Feedback

Audience Feedback

The internal viewing of our class opening sequences gave us good feedback to use as a base for improvement.

Our positive feedback:

• Good edits/cuts
• Good use of mise-en-scene
• Titles well-presented
• Good variety of shots

Our Negative feedback:

1. Some of our shots were too dark. To fix this we are going to use gel filters over the lights so that we can film during the day and use effects when editing to make it look dark.
2. Some of the framing in our shots end up with heads cut off. To fix this we have to go back and do a pick up shot of the detective scene where Joei's body is halfway out of the frame.
3. The car scene was too long. We are going to re film the car scenes because we need to have more variety in the types of shot so that it doesn't get boring.
4. Titles at the beginning are too fast. We are adding effects to the titles so it will end up being a lot slower, and we are also going to add a few more shots into the first sequence so that the titles last for longer.

All of these decisions were made as a group and we agreed that these were relevant criticisms that needed to be dealt with and changed.

Sound Analysis: Overview

Evaluation

Sound Analysis: Funny Games

Funny Games
(1997)

(There was a 2007 remake but the 1997 version is so much scarier)

• The scene starts with an opera song while the camera tracks a car along a motorway. It isn't uncommon for horror movies to include opera songs at the beginning but they are usually slow and calming. This song is very dramatic and intense which could be foreboding of the rest of the movie. 
• At first you can't be sure if the song is diegetic or non-diegetic. We then find out that the family in the car are guessing the songs playing on CDs in the car (diegetic). 
• When the woman and the man start to have a conversation, it catches the audience's attention because in the beginning they are just listing names of composers and the audience may be trying to guess at what they're talking about. 
• The conversation throughout the opening is not stimulating at all; the dialogue doesn't tell the audience anything about the plot except that these 3 characters are involved. Usually at quiet and peaceful parts of a horror movie something scary is expected to happen to give the audience a jump scare. This conversation may have been intended to keep the audience on edge.
• The disruption that the audience might have been expecting came in the form of a disturbing heavy metal song that suddenly presents itself along with the title of the film. This is contrapuntal because it completely counteracts the serenity and monotony of the first few minutes of the opening with disarray.
• This causes the audience to feel slightly disorientated and uncomfortable because their eyes are telling them one thing, but their ears are telling them something else. The situation isn't familiar and the music is especially disturbing with screaming and random bursts of yelping.
• This could also connote that the audience is being told something that the characters don't know (dramatic irony) because we can hear the loud commotion and feel uncomfortable confusion while the family sits in the car with happily with ignorance behind the blood-red titles.
• The music continues even after a CD is taken out of the player, demonstrating clearly that the music is non-diegetic and that the music is something that the family wouldn't listen to. The classical music and heavy metal are on opposite ends of the music spectrum, almost mirroring the innocent family's lives being ruined by something anarchic.

The use of conversation and music definitely worked well to convey genre and to manipulate the audience's emotions. I think contrapuntal sound is used a lot in films because it is an unusual and unconventional way to present the atmosphere (or genre, or storyline...) and is used  abstractly to draw audience's attention to the screen which would be useful in our opening sequence. However, because our film is crime action, if we used contrapuntal music it would end up sounding comedic, and we want our film to be thrilling and exciting.

Sound Analysis: The Prince Of Egypt

The Prince of Egypt

• The opening starts with a slow wind instrument (sounds like a horn) playing a majestic and inspiring tune. It's quite peaceful and gets the audience interested and focused as the title of the film appears.
• The soft and light non-diegetic piece gets lower and more chilling as the sequence continues (contrapuntal) until finally when the statue falls it transforms into something a lot more ominous and grim. This ruins the first impression of a dream-like atmosphere and emphasises the traumatic reality.
• The rhythm of the music could be identified with the repetitive, hard labour that is being shown on the screen as the theme of the opening.
• This could also be described as a folly track because the rhythmic drums and horns match the movements (Stomping feet, ploughing, lashing etc.) This accentuates their movements and helps the audience empathise with the situation on-screen which is especially helpful because the movie is animated and is hard to see as anything other than fictional and cartooned.
• The voices (from the male choir) that are singing the song create a sense of unity. This helps with the overall image of a nation of people suffering and to introduce the setting and story. 
• Because this film is animated, identifying diegetic and non-diegetic sound is less simple. The singing seems to be non-diegetic because their mouths aren't moving except for the yelled words in the song like 'Faster!' from the leaders. The non-diegetic music makes it seem like it is coming from their heads and not being said like silent prayers.
• The music starts to dim down and a flute-like instrument plays a traditional sounding tune. This highlights the setting and sets the scene. This happens when the location is changed from the busy work area to the more subdued town. 
• The dramatic voices (this time more female choir voices) pick up again as we see shadows of men with spears. A woman hides holding her baby and singing (Diegetic) which sounds quite sorrowful because she sounds desperate and alone with no one to help which plays with the audience's emotions to make them pity this woman.

This opening uses sound and music to effectively manipulate (in a good way) the audience's emotions. I think that the way contrapuntal music is used is interesting and attention grabbing and if we had time to add it in to our opening sequence it would be an effective way to keep the audience focused..

Sound Analysis: Jaws

Jaws

• The on screen diegetic sounds like the waves on the shore and the birds are meant to have a calming effect on the audience. 
• This is disrupted by the contrapuntal sound that comes in when we see the low angle shot of the woman swimming. This demands the audience's attention because it is so different to the previous shot. 
• There is a non-diegetic light harp pattern which keeps the calming ocean effect but also destroys it because of its persistence and because it is paired with a low menacing bass. The two sounds put together could be unsettling for the audience because they aren't certain that the environment is safe and serene any more.
• The bass and harp being played could also be classed as a Foley track because it helps the audience visualise the movement of the shark; rising slowly and smoothly but also determined.
• The low bass strings are repetitive which help to build tension and makes the audience aware of the presence of danger. The effect on the audience is to make them anxious and anticipatory.
• The sound of the birds and waves on the shore disappear after the introduction of the strings, but you can still hear the splashing of her arms while she swims. This could be to show that the shark is focused on her, or it could also be to eliminate the distractions so that the audience is centred on her.
• When she gets pulled down for the first time the strings change to a very high pitched chord. This is mostly to create a chilling atmosphere, but also to emphasise that the shark has got her.
• While she struggles to get free, the violins become more orchestral as more are added in to create layers of disturbing sound. The war created by the sound of the violins mimic the war between her and the shark.
• The shot frequently cuts between the loud chaotic noise in the water and her drunk friend on the quiet beach. This helps to compare the threat in the water and the safety on the beach. The violins are rapidly playing while the woman is shown and there is just one violin slowly playing one note while the man is shown.

This opening effectively used sound to illustrate the horror genre and the perilous situation so that the audience stays interested from the first second. I think that the way the atmosphere was created using a simple approach (a few string instruments) was something that we could mimic in our opening sequence.

Research and Planning: Institution

Institution

For our film, I would choose Revolver Entertainment because it is a distribution (and production) company dedicated to using the best marketing techniques to sell the film to its audience.

The reasons for this would be:

Low Budget-

Revolver has produced many low budget films including Ill Manors and Kidulthood. Their successful use of new technology helps them to be fair competitors in the game of distribution.

Digital Distribution-

This company realises that digital distribution is less expensive than traditional distribution which uses 35mm prints. These prints can cost around £1000. Less money is used and therefore there is a lower budget.

Online Movie Premiere-

This is a very effective method of increasing profit. People who prefer to stay at home and watch movies to save money can do that while those who prefer the 'cinema experience' can pay to watch it in a theater.

Social Networks-

By using social networks (e.g. Facebook pages, twitter accounts/ hashtags) we can target our audience (15-25) directly and also use it as free marketing.

Research and Planning: Genre

Genre

The genre for 'One Step Ahead' is Crime Action.

Crime:

'Crime film is a genre that revolves around the action of a criminal mastermind.'

-The Script Lab

Action:

'Action films are a film genre where action sequences, such as fighting, stunts, car chases or explosions, take precedence over elements like characterization or complex plotting.'

-Film Bug 

Codes and Conventions of Crime Action:

• Law breaking
• Fast paced editing
• Dramatic Non-diegetic sound
• Good vs Evil
• 'Identifiable' hero
• Weapons
• Urban settings
• Convicts
• Spies
• Criminals
• Police
• Cars

The Audience will see:

• Car chases
• Heroes and Villains
• Burglary
• Detectives
• Fast paced editing

Feelings/Emotions this creates:

• Excitement
• Anticipation
• Anxiety
• Tension

Film makers use low lighting, fast paced editing, tension building music, fast tempo music, close-up shots and stunt scenes to induce these emotions from the audience.

Examples of crime action films are; 

• The Fast and Furious films
• Crank
• Homefront
• The Dark Knight
• Heat

Art of the Title: Elementary

Elementary

• The title sequence starts with the camera tracking a clear marble through a contraption. The show is about a modern-day Sherlock Holmes who is a character known for his unconventional ways of thinking and solving his mysteries. The ball could represent his brain because it is clear and follows a different path to get to the destination.
• The marble also helps to hint at Sherlock's personality in the TV show because at the end of the titles when the marble reaches the end and is zoomed in to, the title 'Elementary' appears which means basic or easy. The audience can guess that the round-about way of thinking is something that Sherlock would consider simple, portraying him as a complex and intelligent individual.
• The Actors/Actresses' names emerge in pieces that become a whole. This can illustrate pieces being put together to finish a puzzle, or maybe clues put together to solve a crime. The font is a mix between Courier, a type-writer font and Times New Roman, a commonly used word processor font. This could represent old and new, i.e. the old well known Sherlock character vs. new modern relatable environment.
• There are a lot of connotations for Crime and Justice in the opening. The gun, which presents an image of murder, the cage dropping on the figurine, which shows the criminal being caught (justice) and the numbered card on the ground beside the mess that was made is a convention used for detectives when gathering evidence.

Because Elementary is a TV show it doesn't start the titles with the production company although there are some that do (e.g. Détectives). It follows the conventions for TV which is the main actors and creators before the name of the show (but it isn't always in that order).

The length used for the titles is short which is what we want in our film but maybe slightly shorter. We will also have to include production companies and directors in our titles which is something this show doesn't have. What we can take from this is the symbolism they use in the titles. We can use mise-en-scene to represent our genre and story well.

The order of titles are:

Main Actor #1

Main Actress #2

Main Actor #3

Main Actor #4

Created by...

Title of the Programme

Art of the Title: Skyfall

Skyfall

• The credits start with the infamous James Bond hitting the surface of the water and falling deeper. This would immediately catch the viewer's eye because James Bond is virtually invincible and he is now drowning. They would have to keep watching to see what will happen to him and if he will survive.
• A hand reaches out and grabs his and the audience thinks he is saved, but instead of pulling him up towards the surface and to safety, he is pulled down further into the dark ocean. The close up shot becomes a wide shot and a giant hand pulls him deeper by his leg. The audience might be interested in this part because reality is distorted and they want to watch more to see where this is leading to.
• The first title, 'ALBERT R. BROCCOLI'S EON PRODUCTIONS LTD. Presents' appears in a Verdana font in white which is seen very well against the falling dark-suited body of 007. They also fade in which fits with the dream-like state of the opening sequence.
• Throughout the rest of the titles the audience realises that we are watching an abstract version of James Bond's life; the falling guns and knives among the gravestones, the dancing silhouettes of women, the shadows of assassins aiming for him and also the wound in his chest that is present in all of these scenarios. These all represent the action packed thrilling missions that he's completed in his life.The audience might be thinking that his life is flashing before his eyes- a very common belief about the moment before you die. 
• The opening sequence for Skyfall is nearly 4 minutes long, which unconventionally long for any movie, let alone a fast paced action movie. However Skyfall is the 23rd James Bond Movie ever made and because it was expected to be the last one, the producers and directors might have known that so many people were going to be watching they needed to make the movie special and different to all of the others. Or the case might have been that because the movie was going to be watched by so many people they could afford to take risks.

Eon productions Ltd. shows up first which I've noticed is similar in every opening sequence that the production company goes first followed by the director and the main character(s) before the name of the film appears. This is useful because they have put the most important people first before the audience stops paying attention to the words and focuses on the excitement behind it. Something that Skyfall does differently to other films is that the titles are shown around 5-10 minutes into the movie. Including the titles during this part was a good idea because if it had been during the fight scene before, it would have taken away from the intensity of the moment.

The opening sequence for Skyfall is intriguing but something we cant use many ideas from because it is almost 4 minutes long and we are aiming to make ours 2 and a half at most. It also doesn't tell the audience anything about the movie e.g. storyline, characters or themes. We want to try and get across the plot of our story or at least the part of it that we're showing so we wont have time to do any abstract art tricks. James Bond is a well-known and loved movie so most people would be able to guess what the plot might involve anyway (Dangeerous missions, evil villains, beautiful women blah blah) but we can leave it up to the audience to guess because our movie is new and unknown.

The order of titles are:

... Productions presents

Main Actor

as .... in

Title of the Film

starring (less crucial actor)

Less crucial actor

"           "        "

Less crucial actors (on screen at the same time)

with ...

and ... as ...

Co-producers ...

Script supervisor, Sound recordist, Electrical supervisor, Second unit assistant director,

Makeup Designer, Hair Designer, ...'s Wardrobe, Wardrobe supervisor, Publicity and Marketing, Promotions,

Supervising art director, Set decorator, Property Master, Construction Manager, Skills photographer, Visual effects producer,

.

.

.

.

Art of the Title: Se7en

Se7en

• Starts with focused pages in the foreground and a hand turning pages in background. This draws the audience’s attention because it makes them consider who this person is and if they are significant in the film.
• ”New Line Cinema Presents” appears in a Courier New font and almost vibrates on the screen. This emphasises the idea of instability and gives the audience ideas of mental disturbance. The font looks like words written on a typewriter which is quite an outdated way of writing. Someone who used a typewriter would be deviating social norms because of the technology available nowadays implying that this character or one of the characters demonstrates abnormal behaviour.
• The next words appear on a black screen and are first shown backwards but then quickly turn the right way while vibrating. It looks like the words were put on screen frantically and without care. This further implies that an element of the film is an unbalanced character.
• The titles stay in the same state, vibrating through the whole of the opening sequence. However the obscure scenes behind them become more disturbing as they continue.  There are pictures of hands with fingers bent at unnatural angles, someone scraping skin off their fingers with a razor… grotesque things to make the audience physically cringe. The audience by this point has been verified that the person in all of these scenes is crazy.
• The writing is mainly white on black, which makes the words easier to read but also could hint at a theme of light and dark, or good and bad. 

The titles appear with its production companies and studios (i.e. New Line Cinema-which is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Studios) at the beginning, followed by the Director (David Fincher- Golden Globe winning Director of The Social Network) and the cast and then the name of the film. The cast list carries on after the name of the film but the people (Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman) and companies listed before it are given more importance.The credits appear for about 1 and half seconds with 2 or 3 second intervals. This gives the audience time to watch the introduction shots and figure out what kind of atmosphere the movie is trying to present.

We can take ideas of colour from this opening. The black, white and red shades link closely with the dark and disturbing theme of the intro. Our introduction is supposed to have themes of crime and shadiness. We can use lots of shadow and obscure colours to signify the burglars being covered by the darkness. We can also use music to give our opening the right atmosphere like Se7en does with this opening.

The order of titles are:

Production Company
A ... Production
A film by ....
Main Actor #1
Main Actor #2
Title of the Film
(Less crucial) Actress
"                "   Actor
"                "   Actor
"                "   Actor
"                "   Actors (appear at the same time on screen)
Music by....
Costumes Designed by...
Edited by...
Production Designed by...
Director of Photography...
Co-producers...
Co-executive producers...
Executive producers...
Written by...
Produced by...
Directed by...