Target Audience

Who is our target audience?

Our target audience are 17 - 25 year old males and females.

To appeal to this audience we will be using actors who are in that age range so that the audience will be able to relate to the emotions and actions the actors and characters go through. The problems and obstacles that our characters face our mainly to do with relationship issues which children of a younger age would probably be too young to understand or relate to. For example, the center theme of our story surrounds the protagonist having an affair and cheating on her husband and, therefore, would not connect with a younger audience because they have unlikely experienced marriage and falling out of love. Though our target audience may not be married, the issues and emotions coming with love and falling out of love should, we hope, be relatable.

We also have lead female and male characters and male and female actors to play those roles. This will appeal to our male and female audience as neither gender is more dominant and neither is portrayed to be "better" or stronger than the other as both genders are shown to have positive and negative character traits to show this.

The likely certification of our opening

To appeal to our target audience, we wanted to show as much of the drama and action as possible without having to censor too much. For example, our opening scene begins with our protagonist with a bloodied knife in her hands and a dead body which we believe will be too upsetting and disturbing for a really young child to see. So, after looking at the British Board of Film Classification's website we could compare our film ideas to the definitions of each certificate.

The 18 rated certificate logo

A film rated 18 can include frequent strong language/very strong language, real sex, extreme gore and blood, extreme violence, discriminatory language or behaviour. Drug use can be shown but not promoted. They may also cover difficult or strong subjects.

We decided this was not probably not suit our opening as, though there is gore and blood, violence, and a character shown putting a drug in a drink (which does not promote the use of it), there is nothing extreme or very detailed. There is also no use of strong or discriminatory language and no scenes of a sexual nature.

The 15 rated certificate logo

A film rated 15 may include strong violence ("it should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury, however, and the strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable"), drug taking, strong threat or horror (though not a "sustained focus").

We felt as though this may be more suited to our opening as some scenes do contain strong violence but not in extremely close detail or not for very long. The pain of the injuries is not sustained at any point. The scene of the drug being added to the drink is briefly mentioned but not sustained upon.

The 12A rated certificate logo

A 12A film has darker themes than a 12 but must be positively reassuring. Strong language may be used depending on the context in which it is used. There can be moderate violence but is not dwelled upon. Weapons easily accessible to 12 year olds (e.g. knives) must not be glamourised.

We did not feel as if this would fit our film. There are scenes of strong violence, though not in extreme detail, is dwelled upon slightly longer than a 12A would probably accept. Our story does not have a happy ending for either of the lead characters and faces some darker themes (for example, the affair and murder). Knives are also used which a 12 year old will be able to get near, therefore it would not be acceptable.



In conclusion, our film would most likely be rated a 15.

Permissions

Below is an email from Samantha Sheppard who works for the council, confirming that we are allowed to film in Grattons Park.

Below is a screenshot of the application form we had to fill out in order for us to make an inquiry about filming.






Displayed below is a consent form that is signed by my parents agreeing to grant permission for our media group to do the following:

• Film part of our thriller opening in this house

• Use a real knife as one of the props and that we can borrow this knife from your kitchen

• That we will be allowed to use Alka-Seltzer (a dissolvable pain relief tablet) to film a scene where a drink is being drugged

Below is one of the warning signs that we made and put up around the area that we were filming in to warn people that we were in the process of filming.

Body Language and Facial Expressions

Anna (Emily)- The body language of Anna will be very closed resulting in non-verbal leakage suggesting that she is lacking confidence and is scared. This relates to the plot as throughout the film opening Anna will be feeling this way as she is confused and vulnerable. Her facial expression will also be displayed as being shocked and terrified throughout the majority of the film opening; this will be constructed through the use of reaction shots in the format of close-up's.

Nick (Sam)- The body language of Nick will be presented with him lying on the ground with his arms by his side and his face leaning towards the camera. In the opening of the film the only part that the spectator's will see of him is at the very beginning as a shot of him lying on the ground dead is brought into view. His facial expression will remain blank and expressionless throughout, the fact that this character is dead means that his body language and facial expression will stay the same and be unresponsive to the action taking place around him.

John (Will)- The body language of John will be very calm, collective and controlled;  exerting power into the film opening. His confident body language  tells the spectators that he is in control and is very dominant as a person. His facial expression will also stay very serious and plain; not revealing any feelings or emotions that he is thinking. Therefore, creating the perfect persona for a murderer.

Sound Planning

Sound Planning

A recording of our discussion on sound in class on 29/01/2016

Dialogue

Anna: (Crying) I didn't do it. I swear I didn't do it

John: (Going to embrace her) I know that you didn't do it

Anna: (Whispering) I loved him

This is the only dialogue in the sequence and it happens in the last couple of seconds. To record this dialogue, we are going to use a Lapel mic for both of the characters, and then add the recording to the footage.

Non-Diegetic Sound

We decided that we there were three sections in which we were going to use non-diegetic sound, and this will be in the beginning of the sequence where the protagonist wakes up. This music will be in minor, use strings and be quite dramatic to show that her waking up in the forest is a dramatic situation.

For the second section where we want to have music is during the running scene. We want the music to be fast pace to continue the illusion that she is running fast through the woods. It should also be minor so that it will be parallel to what is happening the sequence.

The last bit of non-diegetic sound we want to use will be just before the title is shown. We were talking about how we could use contrapuntal music that is happy to contrast the dark scene happening before. This is something that we want to experiment with, and will do during the editing process. However, if we find that it doesn't add anything to the overall product, we will use some dramatic music again.

To get all of this music, we will use garage band, and some royalty free music sites, such as Soundcloud.

Diegetic Sound

We will also incorporate diegetic sound into our thriller opening as this will give spectators an insight into the characters world and the way it affects them. For instance, in the opening scene when the female protagonist is waking up in the woods we will edit creepy whispering on top of the non-diegetic music playing in the background. This type of diegetic sound will inform the spectators the mental state of the protagonist as she hearing whispering inside her head.

Foleys and Sound Effects

For any sound that we don't think needs to be recorded synchronously with the footage, we will use garage band to add in the sounds post-production. If we don't think that any sounds are suitable, we can create the sound effects by ourselves by using a sound recorder and some creativity.

Audience Feedback

Audience Feedback

Chayana Forde

I asked my sister who is 19 years old, (Within the target audience) if she would watch the whole film of we made it. She told me that it sounded interesting, and would watch it. She then gave me a suggestion for how we could develop the story (as she is a creative writing student at University), and came up with a twist ending where the audience is lead to believe that he kills her, but then turns her into the police where she stays in prison for a crime she didn't commit; a fact that audience wouldn't find out until the end.

Melissa Thomas
I showed my 19 year old brother an outline to the story of our film, asking if there was anything he would do to improve it and make it more appealing and interesting for him to watch as a film. This is what he had to say in reply:

His comments were mainly on the characterization to fit the story line (to make sure that neither lead role ends up becoming a hero or a heroine as they have both done wrong). I believe we will take his comments on board when filming. 

Hair and Make-up

This is our idea of what we want our characters hair and make-up to look like:


Anna (Emily)- The main protagonist will have cuts, blood and bruises over her arms, hands and face to show that she is physically injured. Her hands will contain more blood over them as this relates to the fact that she will be holding a knife and that her lover Nick is dead. Even though Anna will look hurt and wounded she will still appear to have make-up on as this connects to the storyline where she is having a romantic dinner with her husband; so she will have red lipstick on and eye make up as she will want to look dressed up for this occasion. Anna will also have backcombed hair and have leaves and twigs attached as this will show the aftermath of her being dragged and planted in the woods.


Nick (Sam)- In the opening of our thriller the character of Nick will be lying near Anna on the ground dead. The composition of this shot will show Nick lying on his back with his face leaning in the direction of the camera. Therefore he will have stab wounds on his chest which will be covered in blood and his face will be very pale connoting the fact that he is dead and has no life left in him. Nick's hair will also be very messy as he will have been dragged through the woods by Anna's husband John.


John (Will)- The antagonist will have perfectly combed back hair; this symbolises that John is very controlling and that he likes to have everything organised and in order. He will also have a scratch mark on his arm to connect with the fact that he kills Nick and by having this scratch mark it shows that Nick was trying to defend himself. One of the scenes will include a shot of John washing blood off of his arm, the fact that we include this shot in the opening of our film will create enigma amongst our spectator's as they will be confused to why he is injured and will want to know how and why this has happened.

Props

Props we will be using

Photos-

One of the props we will be using in our opening are some photos of the two characters; Anna and Nick. In the storyline Anna's husband John has been spying on her and Nick and has been taking photos of them for proof that she is having an affair. In the film opening these props are presented in one of the scenes, where the camera presents a high angle over the shoulder shot of John. He will them walk out of the shot and the camera will tilt down to show the photos displayed all over the table. John will have circled and crossed out Nick's face in bold marker to symbolise that he is the next victim.

We have created these props by using a polaroid camera where the photos are printed and ejected out after you capture the image. The people shown in the photos are the actual characters who are in the film.

 Below are some behind the scenes images-
In these photos we are trying to construct the composition of the characters, as they are acting as though their on a date.

A Knife-

Another prop that will be included in our thriller opening is a knife, this prop is a significant object in the sequence. This is due to the fact that the female protagonist will wake up with the knife in her hand which will be covered in her lovers blood, resulting in her believing that she is the one who's killed him. At the end of the opening sequence that same knife is then used by the antagonist (Anna's husband) to kill her.

Access-
We will be borrowing this knife from my kitchen with my parents informed consent. Proof of this can be found under the post 'Permissions' on this blog.

Health & Safety-
As we will be using a real knife as a prop we have taken into consideration the health and safety procedures that must be followed when using the knife:

• Always keep in case/cover unless being used to film
• Don't pretend to fight with the knife
• Be aware of surroundings and other people
• Focus on what your doing when holding the knife

By following these procedures we will not endanger ourselves or anyone around us.

Wedding Ring-

Another significant prop that we will be using is a ring; the female protagonist will be wearing this as she is married. The reason why it is so important for the protagonist to be wearing a 'wedding' ring is that it informs the spectators straight away that she is married. Which they will later realise is a key motive to why certain actions happen in the films plot.

The protagonists ring is also very symbolic as after all the chaos has been prevailed the camera will slowly pan up her arm and then zoom into the ring, where the shot will then fade and the title 'A Casual Affair' will appear on screen. By focusing on the ring it represents how something so strong and beautiful can be so fragile and flawed at the same time; representing the concept that is marriage.

The ring that will be used is a Pandora ring as this is the most realistic ring we could find to portray a wedding ring.

Lighting and Colour

 

Outside

When we are filming the outdoor scenes, we will mostly rely on the natural lighting as this will make the film seem more realistic due to the fact that we will be filming in February and the weather will create a suitable atmosphere for a thriller. However, to intensify the focus and composition of the characters we will also be using a back light as this will create structure within the lighting.

Inside

When filming inside (in the house) we will use low key lighting as this is a type of iconography used for the mise en scene of a thriller genre. This type of lighting creates a dark and depressing mood that connotes a thriller like atmosphere. We will also exaggerate the use of the colour red, as this colour is a iconic colour used in the thriller genre and connotes the meaning of murder, lust, and evil; all themes that we are involving in our film opening and story line.

Movie Synopsis

Movie Synopsis

Story Line

The story line of our movie starts with a woman named Anna having an affair while she is in a marriage that she is not happy in. Her affair with a man named Nick happens for months while she gathers the courage to break of her marriage with her husband; John. However, John catches onto the fact that Anna is having an affair before this can happen.

Consumed by rage, but not sure who she is having an affair with, John begins to murder the people  Anna is close to, including her co-workers, friends and neighbours. However, as each murder progresses, Anna finds that she has been losing track of her whereabouts as she has been blacking out, and she has been suspiciously close to all of the murder scenes every time. This leads her to believe that she is the cause of these murders, slowly driving her insane.

This continues as her lover reassures her that it can't possibly be her murdering people, but she starts to distance herself from him, scared that he would be the next victim. This is when her husband John, realises who she has been having an affair with and he wants revenge. With this knowledge in mind, John arranges a romantic night in with Anna, where he drugs her and murders Nick. He then plants both of them in the forest, for the police to find her and put her in prison.

 

However, this plan goes array as Anna regains consciousness and begins running in distress towards her home. While she is running through the woods, that is when Anna starts to have flashbacks and eventually realise that it wasn't her that killed all of those people. It is when Anna is running through the forest that it is revealed that John had been spying on her and gathering pictures of her and Nick. When she enters the house, she is in hysterics and cries, "I didn't do it! I didn't do it!" John calmly says "I know that you didn't kill them," whilst embracing her. This is when Anna realises that John is the murderer. However, it is too late as John kills her.

Narrative

The movie starts with the end, as we see the last scene of Anna waking up and running through the forest into the kitchen and Nick stabbing her (the scene that we will be filming). After the title is shown, the story will be shown in chronological order mostly from the view of Anna, showing how everything leads up to this last scene. Most of the information will be shown to the spectator's and not much information needs to be inferred.

Setting

Location One

The first part of our 2 minute thriller opening will be shot in Grattons Park, in the woodland area of the park. It will be filmed here as part of the film opening is set in the middle of the isolated woods.

Travel-Our group and the actors will meet at my house to set up and then will walk to this location as it is in walking distance; only taking 5 minutes to walk.

Access-We will be allowed access to this location as it is a public park. However, we will make it clear that we are using the area to film by putting up a sign to inform people.

Risk Assessment-

 Concerns:             

• Very wet and muddy              
• Slippery
• Uneven ground

Risks:

• Falling over
• Injuring self or others

Precautions Needed:

• Appropriate shoes for weather e.g. wellies, sturdy boots
• Appropriate clothing for weather e.g. coats, waterproofs etc
• Visit and observe the area before filming, to make sure its a safe and a suitable area to film (This has been addressed)

Mood and Atmosphere- This location is appropriate for a thriller genre and is a good area for the opening of the film to be set as the woods is a stereotypical convention of which a thriller would include. It connotes a sense of mystery and fear due to the fact that the woods is always represented as a place to be scared or lost in most thriller films.

Location Two

The other location where our thriller opening will be set is in my house, the scenes that will be filmed are going to take place in the dining room, kitchen and living room. We have decided to film part of the opening in a house as this type of mise en scene will denote to the spectators and our target audience part of the characters background and story. Therefore enforcing that identification and connection with the characters.

Travel- Some members of the group will walk to my house as it is in walking distance, whereas others will either get the bus or be dropped off.

Access- We have got written consent that we will be allowed access to film in this location, we have also arranged a date and time to meet and film that is suitable for everyone involved in the making of this thriller opening.

Storyboard

 

Thriller Opening Storyboard

A photograph of our discussion of shots whilst creating the storyboard.

Storyboard Animatic

Voiceover commentary explaining shots

                                                                         Part 1

Part 2

Sound Project Using Garageband

Sound Experiments using Garage Band

Melissa and Tash's Garageband sound experiment. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chayana's Gargage Band Sound Experiment