Words of Wisdom

As I’ve stated before, I gained inspiration from a previous opening sequence called ‘Checkmate’. It was the scene where the camera showed a variety of movements on a newspaper to show the male character had died. I decided to do some background information and message the girl who created the opening sequence, to discover how she created that effect and what software she used. This was our conversation. Although I do not have the software she used, what she said was useful; I will spend time experimenting with camera movements on final cut and with the actual camera. 

New Font

 

During session 1 of editing I realized and was assured that my current font for the titles was “too much”. I needed to hastily pick a new font and create the titles before I could continue editing.  I saw one and thought it was subtilely devilish without being too over the top.

The new chosen font.

The next step is completing all the titles in ‘Livetype’ the importing them into ‘FinalCut’.

New font

 

My Production Cards

Freaky Films:

The final choices in LiveType.

The processes started with deciding a name, I knew I wanted one title to reflect the genre of my opening sequence. I made the decision to be uninventive and have my title as ‘Freaky Films’. As I said in my font ideas post that I waned it be be black with hints of red to convey blood. Once this was created in ‘LiveType‘, I exported the file into ‘Final Cut’. The transition also needed to reflect a horror. Most transitions of Livetype are over the top and can appear tacky. I settled for a shaky transitions which pushes the letters up in a distorted manner.

Fading the sound on FinalCut.

 

Once in ‘FinalCut’ I needed to change the background into a solid white backdrop. (It’s conventional for horrors titles to have contrasting colours.) Freaky Films just on the white background with the shaky transition didn’t seem quite right. It didn’t look professional. I decided to add some sound effects so I searched  Youtube to find a suitable audio and settled on a simple yet eerie audi. After knowing it was copyright free I was able to add it to my production card.

Treetop production:

The picture I’ve chosen to be the background of TreeTop Productions.

Treetop productions had a different approach in creation. It started with selecting a picture of trees that I’d taken in Austria. It had to be of trees as I knew the title would be called TreeTop productions. Once I’d found the right photo. In Livetype I used ‘tall tree’ font and used a simple ‘zoom in right’.

Treetop Productions on Livetype

Its a similar process as the last production card by importing it into FinalCut and editing it.

Edited the length of the production card.

Both production cards are 4 seconds which may be too quick. I tried to prolong them in Livetype and in Finalcut, however they’re still only four seconds.

The orange markers that are on the green bar is where the music will fade. I chose the sound of wind because that is what you’d expect to hear if you was at a treetop.

 

Font Style Ideas For Titles

Two production cards are needed to represent my opening sequence. For one production company I want a font and that will reflect my genre. I went on a website called ‘Dafont’ for inspiration and came across two fonts that I liked.

Face your fears font.

 

I want to have black font with either a red shadow or glow so the font has a blood-like presentation.

Cold night for alligators font.

 

I decided on the ‘face your fears’ font as I will be able to have the black font and at some red outlines. The font appears as though it has been written in blood. It was tough decision though, the hand prints could represent Zia’s hand but the title doesn’t link to the film so I decided for the other font. I can use ‘cold night for alligators’ for the actual film title font.

For my other title I want a professional look, something that is sophisticated with a picture and by the style of font.

‘Spyglass entertainment’ is the font that inspired me, it is simple yet effective and has a professional and sophisticated presentation. As well as these features I want the production title that relates to the background picture. If I use a picture of mountains or trees then I want the font to reflect nature.

These fonts were found on Dafont under the ‘nature’ section.

 

I finalised two options but decided on tall trees font as it links to the name of my production company – Treetop production.

The font will ether be black or white depending on the picture I chose. As the fist title will be black font, I hope to use a white font  in front of a picture in colour.

 

Hot seating main character

Siobhan Fitzsimons:

 

Researching Production Cards

›Production cards are needed to inform audiences of the main production companies which collaborated together to produce the final film. These titles will be seen on screen before and during the opening sequence. Titles don’t have to represent the film’s genre but often horror films will have titles to reflect.

I want one of my titles to reflect the genre of horror. From researching horror production companies such as ‘Benderspink‘ and ‘Blumhouse’, I’ve noticed the convent of having bold fonts which rest in front of rustic eerie background. My initial idea is having a black or grey background then a jagged font which is white with red inside the jags to represent blood.

Benderspink has presented such films as ‘The Ring’ and ‘The Butterfly Effect’.

Blumhouse has presented films such as Insidious and Oujia.

 

There are companies which are considered ‘The Big Six‘. These are the companies you’d expect to see present big mainstream films.

1. Warner Bros.
2. Paramount Pictures
3. Walt Disney
4. Columbia Pictures
5. Universal Studios
6. 20th Century Fox

Independent films are sometimes distinguishable by their style and narrative. Usually, but not always, independent films are represented with considerably lower film budgets than major studio films. An independent film production can rival a mainstream film production if it has the right funding and distribution. Examples of independent film companies:

• Entertainment One
• Exclusive Media
• Film4 Productions
• First Look Studios
• IFC Films
• Image Entertainment
• IM Global
• Lionsgate Entertainment

Production Schedule

My production schedule will provide as a guide to follow during filming and will help me become organised. It also outlines the safety hazards and how to solve them.

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Prop Research

I’ll be using a variety of props in my opening sequence. A prop is a theatrical property which aids a perform making it more naturalistic or engaging for the audience. In my opening sequence, there is a section where the audience witness that the main characters deaths, a overlaid report will play while newspaper articles are shown of the teenagers. This allows the audience to experience enigma codes such as how did they die? or what killed them? etc and will hopefully compels them to continue watching. I will need a realistic newspaper prop and photographs of the victim in order to complete this effect. 

News report scene:

• Photograph of victims
• Newspaper articles
• Fake blood
• Face paint

Woodland Scene:

• Baby oil
• Costume, e.g gloves
• Bracelet

 

The newspaper that I’ll print off to film. The bold words are words that I’ll focus on. 

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Character Research

Female Victim – She is best described as quiet, almost introvert. She is sixteen and wants to be seen as popular which is why she agreed to accompany the male to the woods, in reality her friends would consider her timid.  She is petite with brown frizzy hair and brown eyes which shows the audience her youth and innocence. She has known the male since primary school and overhears his friends betting that he wouldn’t and impulsively states that she will join him. (picture) This character will be played by Siobhan Fitzsimons.

Siobhan Fitzsimons playing the female victim.

Male Victim – This male is confident and outgoing. He is tall and athletically built with matching brown hair and brown eyes. He enters the woods purely on a bet to prove he isn’t afraid. He has known the girl for a long time so feels comfortable by her accompaniment despite them being in different clichés. The male is also sixteen. This character is played by Joshua Shutler.

Joshua Shutler playing the male character.

Female Demon – The demon girl is only 14 years old, she is tall and lanky with long brown knotty hair. She has canvas white face with green piercing green eyes. Rumours spread through schools about her tale; she was brutally murdered in the woods and now she seek revenger on whoever enters her woods. She has fixated on what will scare victims, first she’ll stalk them until she is prepared to strike. She knows the male characters worst fear is being hung so she plans to execute him via this method and the girl gets panicky whilst being chased. This character will be played by Zia Potgieter.

Zia will be playing the female demon.

 

Costume Research

The female character played by Zia will be the ‘demon’ girl. To show her youth she’ll be wearing a cream dress, however the dressed will be dirty,  ripped and bloody to show the speculated rumours are true; this girl lives in the forest and murders people who enter. The dress will compliment the doll makeup as well when showing youth.

The dress which will be worn by the demon doll.

The male character will be wearing a plain white top and blue jeans. These are colours which are bright and will be seen better than dark clothing whilst filming. The white will also connate for innocence.The other female to enter the woods will be played by Siobhan, she’ll be wearing a black coat with a fur line hood to show the comparison of status between two female characters. The demon is in an old tatty dress where the other female is in a warm fur coat. This contrast will allow the audience to empathise with the demon or to allow the audience to relate to the female teenager.