Production Diary

Production Diary


9th November: First Group Meeting
Today we was placed into our final film task opening groups; I was put with my fellow peers Millie, Jono and Jordan. Our first task was to produce individually, a film pitch of our idea of the perfect film opening. We was to not talk about our ideas to each other, so we could all have different ideas to pitch to each other. This means we would have more of a constructive meeting next time; deciding on what was the best idea and contributing other ideas to theirs.


10th November: Second Group Meeting
In today's meeting we pitched to each other our individual ideas of a film opening. By declaring our ideas to each other we could constructively put together our final idea with the whole groups input. We believed Jono's 'comedy spy' genre was our ideal film opening in which we wanted to all pursue further. After deciding on our final film opening idea; we began to produce our group pitch to the class.


12th November: Third Group Meeting
In today's meeting we consolidated our ideas further and finished our film pitch that we would compose to the class in the next lesson for feedback.


14th November: Fourth Group Meeting
In today's lesson we composed our final film opening idea to the class so we could receive constructive feedback. By receiving feedback, we can make our idea better and to the standard our target audience desires.


16th November: Fifth Group Meeting
In today's lesson we wrote up our feedback and improved our film opening idea further to the standard our feedback desired. Millie completed the mood board. We also assigned everyone in our group to the jobs they needed to do to ensure fair work loads. Below are the jobs we assigned each person to do:
Everyone: Photographs and video evidence of planning
Millie: Mood board
Millie, Jono and Jordan: Storyboard
Kelsey: Production diary
Jordan and Jono: Evidence of how planned opening fits with research into codes/conventions of genre and audience
Kelsey and Millie: Title research 
Kelsey: Audience
Kelsey: Location-Recce shots
Everyone: Fonts for titles and film name research
Millie: Script
Jordan: Voiceover for storyboard
Jono: Storyboard editing
Millie and Kelsey: Props research and list
Jono: Music research ideas
Kelsey: Shooting schedule
Kelsey: Risk assessments
Kelsey: Marketing campaign


17th November: 
In today's lesson Kelsey consolidated the production diary whilst we all contributed ideas for the storyboard whilst Millie and Jono wrote it up. Kelsey later on in her own time also wrote up the risk assessments with regards to the filming.


18th November:
In today's meeting Jono and Jordan finished the storyboard and filmed the voiceover for it. The storyboard was also edited by Jono in his own time. Whilst Millie worked on the prop list and costumes and Kelsey wrote the marketing campaign.


19th November:
In today's lesson, Jordan uploaded the storyboard up onto youtube whilst Kelsey finished the prop list and costumes. Jono worked on the music research for our film opening. Jordan and Jono also finished their film opening analysis'. Kelsey in her own time also did the titles research emaze with the film 'The Spy Who Loved Me'.


20th November:
In today's lesson, Kelsey finished the target audience and institution research whilst Millie began the script. Kelsey also finished the representation work.


23rd November:
In today's lesson, Kelsey and Millie re-done the storyboard and voice over which was finished and uploaded onto YouTube as the first one wasn't efficient enough and to the best standard possible. Jono started the timeline of the opening whilst Jordan finished the film analysis'. Kelsey in her own time did the risk assessments and started the location work.


24th November:
In todays lesson Kelsey finished the location work as we secured our location of Chelmsford Museum. Our plan A idea of using Pontlands Park was ruined when they told us we werent allowed to film there; so we had to think up the plan B idea of Chelmsford Museum. Jono finished the timeline of the opening whilst Jono continued on the shot list he had started in the previous lesson.


26th November:
In todays lesson Kelsey did the shooting schedule whilst Jordan continued with the shot list. Jono started on the script as we were filming later that day.

Research for Film

Timeline

Script

Millie: Jordan where are you?
Jordan: I'm lost
(Millie sees Jordan through binocular)
Millie:Wait is that you wearing bright clothes?
Jordan: Yeah good idea huh, wouldn't be able to find me otherwise
Millie: What are you doing get here now, go to the big tree then turn left
(Jordan goes to tree to meet Millie)
Millie: I need you to follow me where ever I go okay
Jordan: Okay
Jordan: Where are we going and what are we doing?
Millie: To the house to get the memory stick, just concentrate we need this memory stick
Jordan: Okay I will concentrate
(Go separate ways and Jordan runs back to meet Millie)
Millie: Your meant to be following me
Jordan:Though we were going left
(Jordan tries to go through door but does the opposite of what needed to open the door, push or pull)
(Millie shakes head and opens door easily)
Millie: Keep quiet
(Millie picks up memory stick)
(Jordan searches room for memory stick)
Jordan: I cant find it anywhere
Millie: That's because I have it
Jordan: Ohh.

Storyboard

Shooting Schedule

Shooting Schedule

DAY / DATE	SCENE	INTERIOR/EXTERIOR	SHOT NUMBER/ DESCRIPTION	LOCATION	CHARACTERS	PROPS/SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Thursday, 26thNovember	Shots 1 - 12	Exterior	1 – 12 The shots which are filmed outside the building. Millie and Jordan begin in the bush and make their way to the building and open the door.	Chelmsford Museum	Evelyn and Will	o   Binoculars o   Toy gun
Thursday, 26thNovember	Shots 13 - 23	Interior	13 – 23 The shots which are filmed inside the building. Millie and Jordan begin walking through the door and end with the lights going on.	Chelmsford Museum	Evelyn and Will	o   Memory stick o   Laptop

Music Research

With regards to any film opening, music needs to be included to create an atmosphere and to portray the genre we are trying to deliver to the target audience.Our film has a very slow quiet start and I feel that putting a loud spy film song at the start will just throw away the message and genre we are trying to create. I have searched music that has been used in spy films and its all loud and quick and it really wouldn't work. 

If we found a song that could fit into the opening scene I believe it would go at the end when the alarms go off, this way it kind of kick starts the film and its almost a build up for the main film.

We will be using foley to emphasize the sounds shown in the film. For example when they walk up the stairs we will be using it then. Another shot where we can use foley will be when they are in the bushes.

Location

LocationWith regards to filming a 'spy comedy' film we needed a wide-spaced house/museum/hotel to film the scenes outside a large house and inside with the memory stick.

Our plan A was to film in Pontlands Park which is a hotel and restaurant. It would have been the ideal location as it is large building with grand rooms. However, plan A's don't always work and it ended up that Pontlands Park didn't allow us to film inside.

Representation

RepresentationWithin any filming the plot should include morals or things/people/cultures etc you want to represent.
Our film opening sequence is a PG 'spy comedy' genre meaning we are representing the lifestyle of spy's and what the atmosphere of a spy/M15 mission portrays naturally.
However, with our twist we are representing how a experienced female spy would act on a mission with contrast of a male amateur spy. We are representing this through mise en scene; the experienced spy will be wearing all black in camouflage to the dark, whereas the male character will be wearing bright and casual clothes.
We will also be representing what a large and wide-spaced museum looks like my using Chelmsford Museum. This will also be some advertisement for Chelmsford Museum as if people view our film and like the look of Chelmsford Museum

Evidence of Group Planning

Evidence of our group planning Below is a range of images proving that we all worked as a team to complete the planning for our film opening task:

Similar Film Analysis

22 Jump Street:

By watching this film opening, it has given our group some inspirational ideas of how to improve and base our film on.

Straight away the film gives an indication of who the main characters are in a short amount of time, this is very useful for people watching, because throughout the film they know who the main protagonists are. It gives a flashback to the last film, which shows their persona and the jobs they have to carry out, this gives an insight to what they're going to be doing in this comedy.

The Genre is evident from the start onwards, because you see the pair graduating to serve for the police, this shows they are professional, although they are very unorthodox and uncoordinated a lot of the time in different aspects. We understand the comedy aspect of the film very early, because the two are doing silly actions which the target audience would find very funny.

We understand that the setting is in America due to the flags waving in the background, also when they are studying it shows they are trying to graduate into the LAPD, which is a police force in the United States Of America

The themes in the opening are one of a school/college/university, which is being represented with the guy speaking behind the stand, showing they are going to be going back to the younger days. Also they are getting out their equipment, showing that there is going to be a lot of thrilling action in the rest of the film.

The Narrative in the opening is mostly the guy speaking in the lecture, this is the only complete speech in the opening, as the rest is a flashback to last film, where there is only small little bits of speech. The plot is going to be the two going back to education to do some secret under cover work, because there is danger coming out of it.  

Johnny English:

In this opening scene we instantly find out that Johnny English is the main character. Much of the first 4 minutes is focused just on him. However some of the other main characters we don't meet till a bit later on in the film. We learn the genre also very early on in the film. From the scene with the dogs we find out that its a spoof spy and comedy. Its not till a bit later on in the film where we find out more of the type of genre included in the film. Other genres such as parody, thriller and action film. From this film we learn not to judge a book by its cover. Johnny English gets it right by the end and complete the task they set out to do. Our plot is kind of the opposite, nothing Jordan does turns out to work. 

Austin Powers (The Spy who shagged me) opening scene

The film that is Austin Powers is very similar to our idea we are trying to carry out, so by observing this film and analysing the genre and narrative, it will be very useful for the rest of our task. It is essential we see camera techniques used, because we can take fantastic ideas for when we start the filming. It is a little bit different because ours is a bit more serious, although it is the same in the fact that the spy is a bit unnatural.

In this opening we are focused on one character (Austin Powers), so we really understand who the main character is, because the opening is devoted to him. We have other characters in the opening, but the shot mainly has Austin in the whole time. He is the only character that speaks, which shows the amount of importance he has in the opening few minutes, showing his authority.

For the start of the film the genre is evident, because there is a lot of humour used straight away, with different aspects of comedy used to entice the viewers. Throughout the opening you don't understand he is a spy, you understand that he is going to be a main character and be funny, although in the title it is obvious it's about a spy.

The setting is obvious in the opening to be a hotel, although it's not completely obvious where the rest of the film is going to be held.

Narrative is not used too much in the start, it is normally a few bits of speech, but not full sentences used to actually speak to one another. Right at the start Austin has a bit of narrative that sets the scene very well for the rest of the opening.

The themes for the rest of the film are obviously going to be one's of humour, with spy related content throughout, we understand from the theme used at the start he is a very outgoing guy, also very relaxed.

Film Institution

Music Research

Music Research 

With regards to any film opening; music can be included to create atmosphere and to deliver the genre more evidently to the target audience. Additionally, non-digetic and digetic sound can be used to either create sound which is visible on screen or not visible on screen. 

Our film is a fairly calm and not very action is portrayed until the end; for this, we have decided that a theme tune at the beginning would ruin the scene we are trying to create for the audience. This caused us to believe a theme tune at the end of the film opening, when the alarms occur, would be best to create a more action packed ending to kick start the film.

Target Audience

Target Audience

With every film production, you need to outline a clear target audience.
Our film opening will be having a PG certificate as we agree it will attract a wide range of audiences. We also gained inspiration for our target audience group through the film 'Johnny English' which also has a PG certificate.
In Johnny English, the certificate is PG due to adult but also younger audience comedy. However, present in Johnny English is comic nudity, crude humor and bad language meaning it is questioned to why it's a PG certificate. In our film opening scene/film, we have decided to include none of this concluding more reasons why it will be a PG certificate.

Props and Costumes

Prop list and Costumes

When creating any film production, you need to portray mise en scene through props and costumes. Below is the props and costumes we are including in our film opening:



Ear piece:To portray the idea that our spy's are talking to a master who is laying out the mission to them.


Toy Guns:Toy guns are going to be used as props to create more of an atmosphere for the spy characters.Laptop:A laptop will be used in our film opening as a prop because are key prop is a memory stick which we will insert into the laptop to view the contents.Memory stick:A memory stick is our key prop as it is what the spy's mission is to get to view the contents through the laptop.Spy glasses:We are going to be using spy glasses as another prop to create more of atmosphere. Spy glasses also show what the characters are more.Coat:The costumes are going to be used to create what the characters are more.Black trousers:The costumes are going to be used to create what the characters are more.Boots:The costumes are going to be used to create what the characters are more. Trainers:The costumes are going to be used to create what the characters are more. However, with Jordan he will be wearing a colourful outfit to portray how hes an amateur. Spy goggles:We are going to be using spy goggles as another prop to create more of atmosphere. Spy glasses also show what the characters are more. We also will be filming through these during the film opening.

Spy walkies talkies:The walkie talkies will create via props more of an atmosphere within the film opening but also show the characters more.Spy black gloves:The costumes are going to be used to create what the characters are more.

Marketing Campaign

Risk Assessments

Risk Assessments

With every film production, you should compose some risk assessments which will assure adequate health and safety within our cast and people around us.

By assessing the risks within the environment and cast, we can now feel more aware of the precautions we need to take to remain safe. Alternatively, with us identifying the risks within filming we have become aware of risks we may not have thought about previously.

Toy Story Title Sequence

Title Sequences

Toy Story.


This title appeared after 0.5 seconds of the opening sequence.
It remained on the screen for three seconds and the faded out.
The first thing shown was the production company as they want everybody to know it is a Disney film.

The second title appeared after twenty one seconds.

It then faded out after four seconds.

The second title shown was the another producer to show off thus us their film.

The third title then appears after twenty-nine seconds.

It leaves the screen after four seconds, at 0:33.

These titles are now the executive producers. They do not have the whole screen to themselves like the original producers do, showing they are not as important.

The fourth title appears after third-six seconds.

It fades out after three seconds at 0:39.

The title shows the supervising technical director on their own, to show the director and to show off this film was his work.

The fifth title then emerges after forty seven seconds.

It then departs after three seconds, at 00:50

The title shows the music producer independently.

Lastly the sixth title arrived at fifty four seconds in. It lasted for four seconds until 00:58.


Overall, these titles show that this film shows the names of each producer or director for an equal amount of time. Although some of the names were shown together, the majority were independent on the screen.

Similar Film Openings

This is film for Johnny English. 

In this opening scene we instantly find out that Johnny English is the main character. Much of the first 4 minutes is focused just on him. However some of the other main characters we don't meet till a bit later on in the film. We learn the genre also very early on in the film. From the scene with the dogs we find out that its a spoof spy and comedy. Its not till a bit later on in the film where we find out more of the type of genre included in the film. Other genres such as parody, thriller and action film. From this film we learn not to judge a book by its cover. Johnny English gets it right by the end and complete the task they set out to do. Our plot is kind of the opposite, nothing Jordan does turns out to work. 

Film Opening Analysis

The Organ Player

The titles look very professional, it looks like its almost a professional film made by a paid crew and not some 16 year old students. Alongside the great titles the actors in it keep in character well and don't laugh or go off script so that's also very professional. I believe that Foley is used in parts of this film as the sound quality is brilliant, this alongside the very well worked editing creates a great film. However there are still things that they need to improve on the music playing in the background and some of the shots. 

The Visitor

In this film the camera work is amazing, its also a very good quality camera that gives a nice sharp picture.  The location they have filmed this at is very relevant to the genre. The voice over is very successful, it creates the right atmosphere wanted by the creators. There are many hidden codes carried out in this short clip, enigma codes such as who is the girl and why is she there? This is a perfect film opening as it doesn't give too much away. Many other films give way the whole story in the first two minutes. There are minimal points to improve on but I would say that the title needs to be shown at the beginning is a must and a person walking alone through a forest is quite cliché so it lack originality. 

                                            The Edge 

This is one of the AS Media film openings that I found and it is called 'The Edge'. First of all I think that this film opening is definitely a Level 4 and these are the reasons for this. One of the main things is that it is obvious the genre that it is from the action that is going on and also the chase sequence. This is then also very well matched with the music which gives it the correct atmosphere for the chase scene. The titles I think are in the correct order and they are used are made to look amazing and done really well by the effects. The titles also use the institutional conventions. As I said before the sound as in the music goes really well with what is going on and gives the correct atmosphere. One of the only negatives I can give is because of the sound  and this is because there is hardly any diegetic sound in this opening. I think if there was some diegetic sound it would give it a much better effect as to the location of where it is filmed.  Finally the shooting material they used was great. For example I didn't notice a poor shot in the opening or any bad camerawork. There was also a great variety of shots that was used throughout which made it less boring than if there was the same angles and shots throughout the whole thing. So overall this is very good film opening and I definitely think that this would be given a Level 4.

I have chosen this opening as one of my three to analyse, and score out of 60, because I loved the premise and the editing.
 I gave this film opening a Level 4 with a mark of 58.
This is because there is clear evidence of excellence from the outset and throughout this opening. From the opening shot I was aware that the genre was a horror/action film with the target audience being young adults because it has a rating of 15 meaning it is not for young children and you see a man tied up covered in blood. 
The titles are used appropriately as they flicker and move in jagged movements which is common of titles in horror films and they are an appropriate length so that they can be read but do not linger on screen and distract from the opening. 
The use of sound within this clip is to an excellent standard as well because all of the sounds are appropriately incorporated and work together to help create an eerie atmosphere. There are examples of synchronous sounds- the sound of the blood dripping and seeing it fall into the puddle below, the sound of the CCTV monitor cutting off and seeing the image disappear. There are also examples of music being used as there is atonal music used throughout that establishes the horror/action genre with its increasing volume. 
Controlled use of camera is clearly displayed here as the camera work is accurate and precise as well as varied with the use of close up shots, high angle and tracking shots. Not to mention the effortless transitions between shots and the excellent editing throughout. 

This film opening scores a 58 for me because there were elements of the narrative that I felt could have been improved. I did not understand the relevance of the women with the doll and why she had a doll in the first place so this was something that could have been improved. However, this film opening is extremely professional, well-executed and of an excellent standard. The titles in this opening are the one element that significantly needs improvement as they were not all in order with traditional institutional conventions. They began with the cast as appose to what production company and institution the film is associatThis film opening scores a 58 for me because there were elements of the narrative that I felt could have been improved. I did not understand the relevance of the women with the doll and why she had a doll in the first place so this was something that could have been improved. However, this film opening is extremely professional, well-executed and of an excellent standard. This is the second film opening I have decided to analyse as I found the titles creative and fitting of the genre as well as the plot line interesting and well thought through. I score this opening 51 marks out of 60 because it displays excellent understanding of genre conventions but lacks some varied shots.
The genre was clearly established by the symphonic music throughout it as well as the added scratch/popping noise in the background. The opening also displays appropriate material for the target audience of twenty-somethings who enjoy horror/thriller films. 
The moving and flickering titles that appear, and disappear rapidly, convey the horror genre and they also have an appropriate length on screen and are placed in order thus obeying institutional conventions. 
The sound throughout this clip is appropriate for the film's genre and adds to the suspense created by the visual. The camera work is good and steady but the opening could do with more varied shots and angles as you only see a few different shots throughout- shot/reverse shot etc. Also the mise-en-scene of the girl's bedroom is very detailed as you can see pictures of her and her friends on the walls making it seem like it is actually her bedroom. 
The editing throughout is well thought through and fluent and it aids the audience in understanding the film's storyline. The flashes between the famous women's pictures tell us a lot about the girl/killer's personality and why she does what she does. The title of the film 'Blink Murder' also appears on screen when we see the girl blink thus conveying to the audience the reason for the title. 

However, there are elements of this opening that could have been improved such as the use of more varied camera shots and more diegetic sound when the girl is opening the drawer and picking up the knife.

Overall I give this film opening 51 marks, as it features effective titles and clearly establishes genre however, fails to deliver some diegetic sound and varied camera shots.

 

This is the last of the three film openings I have chosen to analyse. I liked this opening because it was a different genre to the others I have seen and analysed. The genre is clearly shown to be a teenager/romantic film and overall I give this opening 48 marks out of 60.

The material throughout this opening is relatively appropriate for its target audience as you can see that there is going to be a romance between these two young people which is fitting of a romantic film. However, there is swearing featured in this opening which suggests that this film's rating must be above a 15 as it is inappropriate for viewers below that age to watch due to explicit language.

The titles in this opening are the one element that significantly needs improvement as they were not all in order with traditional institutional conventions. They began with the cast as appose to what production company and institution the film is associated with. The title 'in association with Film Four' should have appeared first as appose to at the end of the opening.

The use of sound in this clip could have also done with improvement because the diegetic sound of the wind, at times, overpowers the dialogue and makes it difficult to hear. On the other hand, the diegetic sound of the skateboard is very effective in adding to the atmosphere and works well with visual. Good use of synchronous sound.

The camera shots are steady, varied and the shot on board the skateboard is inventive, creative and well executed. The visual editing is impressive however the sound editing needs improving as the diegetic sound is too loud during the conversation scenes.

Overall this film scores a 48 out of 60 because of its bad sound quality during the conversation scenes and its careless placement of the titles.
this film opening scores a 58 for me because there were elements of the narrative that I felt could have been improved. I did not understand the relevance of the women with the doll and why she had a doll in the first place so this was something that could have been improved. However, this film opening is extremely professional, well-executed and of an excellent standard.