Prop List for Film Opening

Props

• Photos of main protagonist
• Blue tack to stick photos on wall
• Belongings of main protagonist- hairbands etc.
• Table to display more photos
• Chair for where kidnapper sits
• Belongings of kidnapper scattered
• Twig to be snapped
• Water bottle for main protagonist as she is running
• Phone and headphones for main protagonist

Storyboard for Film Opening

Basic Treatment for Film Opening Task

Working Title

• Dear Diary

Genre

• Thriller

Central Themes

• Stalking, kidnapping and murder

Synopsis

• Lucy is a smart A-level student who aspires to be a writer and documents her life daily, her life gets turned around after she is met with her stalker who has been planning to kidnap her for months. The truth of the mysterious disappearance of her friends are soon revealed through their dead bodies of the kidnappers house. Her only sanity is the continuation of her diary entries which keep her hope alive and potentially save her life.

Pitch

• Our film will be different compared to other crime thrillers as the audience will see the movie from the perspective of the person who is kidnapped. You will see all the hardships and traumatic experiences she has to endure to create a hard hitting, emotional and at times, scary film.
• Our target audience will be certified a 15 due to more explicit content and violent themes.

Characters

• Lucy - A 17-year-old school girl who is focused on her studies and building a secure and bright future for herself. She will be played by someone who studies A level drama and has confidence to act to a camera.
• Frank - A 39-year-old who is smart, however, very psychologically unwell due to his upbringing. For the movie opening he will hardly be in it and you won't see his face so any boy can play this roll.

Film Opening Sequence

• The opening sequence which we will be focusing on will start with a flashback to before Lucy is kidnapped and shows Frank's room filled with photos of her at school, out with friends, at her house etc. this will be voice-overed by one of her diary entries.
• It will then switch to modern day where Lucy will be on a run, she will take a shortcut through the forest and start to hear twigs snapping and bushes rustling.
• In shock she will drop her phone and as she stands up and turns around, a man in a black coat will be standing behind her, the screen will go black and the title will be shown.

Film Techniques

• The opening will be filmed from the audience's perspective but will then switch to Frank's view when the tension changes.
• We will use a dark colour pallet and low-key lighting to create a more sinister feeling. Also we will use cut transitions to reflect the fast pace of the film and long shots to show who's perspective we are watching it from.

Production Considerations

• We will need a big field area that's surrounded by a forest of some description. The field opposite The Thicket is probably a good location or Ockwells Park.
• It would need to be a big space but also a forest, somewhere that is dark always creates a more tense atmosphere.

The Purge (2013) - Film Opening Deconstruction

Synopsis

The Purge is a 2013 American dystopian horror film written and directed by James DeMonaco and the first installment in DeMonaco's Purge film series. The film stars Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Adelaide Kane and Max Burkholder as a family held hostage during "The Purge," an event during which all crime is legalized for 12 hours.
Despite mixed reviews, the film was commercially successful, grossing $89.3 million, far surpassing its $3 million budget. It was the lowest budget film to hit the top of the box office charts since 1988.

The Purge (2013 film) n.d. in Wikipedia. Retrieved 15th November 2016 from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Purge

Producers: Platinum Dunes

Platinum Dunes is an American production company created in November 2001 by filmmakers Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, and Andrew Form. The company specializes in horror films, particularly remakes.
On October 7, 2009, Paramount Pictures announced a first-look deal with Platinum Dunes. They plan to branch out of the horror genre into action and thrillers with this new deal. On May 27, 2010, it was announced they will work on the reboot to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film series of the same name. In 2014, Platinum Dunes was named The Hollywood Reporter's Producers of the Year. In 2015, the company was also named to The Hollywood Reporter's 30 Most Powerful Film Producers in Hollywood.

Platinum Dunes n.d. In Wikipedia. Retrieved 15th November 2016 from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platinum_Dunes

Productions of note include:

• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) directed by Marcus Nispel. Budget: $9.5 million. Gross: $107.1 million.

• The Amityville Horror (2005) directed by Andrew Douglas. Budget: $19 million. Gross: $108 million.

• The Hitcher (2007) directed by Dave Meyers. Budget: $10 million. Gross: $25.4 million.

• Friday the 13th (2009) directed by Marcus Nispel. Budget: $19 million. Gross: $91.4 million.

• A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) directed by Samuel Bayer. Budget: $35 million. Gross: $115.7 million.

• The Purge (2013) directed by James DeMonaco. Budget: $3 million. Gross: $89.3 million.

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) directed by Jonathon Liebsman. Budget: $125 million. Gross: $493.3 million

• Project Almanac (2015) directed by Dean Israelite. Budget: $12 million. Gross: $33.2 million.

• The Purge: Election Year (2016) directed by James DeMonaco. Budget: $10 million. Gross: $118.4 million.

Distributors: Universal Studios

Universal Studios is an American film studio owned by Comcast through the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group division of its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal. The company was founded in 1912 by Carl Laemmle, Mark Dintenfass, Charles O. Baumann, Adam Kessel, Pat Powers, William Swanson, David Horsley, Robert H. Cochrane, and Jules Brulatour.

Universal is the oldest surviving film studio in the United States, as well the world's fourth oldest (after Gaumont, Pathé and Nordisk Film). Its studios are currently located in Universal City, California and its corporate offices are located in New York City. Universal Studios is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America and is one of Hollywood's "Big Six" studios.\

Universal Studios n.d. in Wikipedia. Retrieved 15th November 2016 from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Studios

Distributions of note include:

• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) - Box office gross: $792,910,554

• Despicable Me 2 (2013) - Box office gross: $970,761,885

• Furious 7 (2015) - Box office gross - $1,516,045,911

• Jurassic World (2015) - Box office gross: $1,670,400,637

• The Secret Life of Pets (2016) - Box office gross: $676,658,314

Timeline

•  00:00 - 0:09: The video begins with a plain blue screen and starts playing calm orchestra music before the words 'UNIVERSAL PICTURES presents' fade into the middle of the screen in white clear text. It is shortly followed by the words 'A PLATINUM DUNES/ BLUMHOUSE/ WHY NOT production fading over the previous text. (2 shots)

• 00:09 - 0:11: A straight cut is used to transition into a scene that depicts a man with a gun running onto the scene and shooting an oblivious man. A sound bridge is used to carry the calming music throughout the scene. The music juxtaposes with what is happening in the scene as the music presents calm and happy connotations whereas the scene depicts brutal and negative actions of killing innocent people. In the top right corner the words 'PURGE FEED' are shown as well as the place of the happenings and the date. The same text is used for each scene highlighting the fact that it is the purge that is occurring. (1 shot)

• 00:11 - 0:25: A straight cut is used again to transition to more brutal scenes of murder. Two of the scenes present a group of people beating up one person illustrating the discrimination that can happen on the purge. All of the scenes are filmed through CCTV cameras at night demonstrating that at night is the most dangerous time as there is a visible reoccurrence when these brutal happenings occur. (4 shots)

• 00:25 - 0:31: A straight cute then transitions to a long shot of a man beating up a person with a baseball bat in a corner of the street that is hidden away from passer-byers. There is low-key lighting that is supplied from a lamppost that is off-screen. (1 shot)

• 00:31 - 0:34: A straight cut then transitions to a mid-shot of a woman crouched on the floor covered in bruises with her clothes in rags and barefoot. Lowkey-lighting is used but is brighter over her as if there was a spot light on her to further isolate her and make her stand out. She then slowly stands up whilst staring at something off-screen. (1 shot)

• 00:34 - 0:51: Straight cuts are then used to transition between each scene of brutal murder. There are some beating ups, shootings and fires with people screaming and running around. However there is no ambient sound heard because of the calm music placed on top. (7 shots)

• 00:51 - 0:59: A straight cut transitions into a scene of four people lying on the ground next to each other. Lowkey-lighting is used to present how it is night-time and the greyish colour of the setting gives negative and dark connotations. The music changes slightly and becomes higher-pitched as if becoming more tense when showing the dead bodies and how horrifying the 'purge' is. (1 shot)

• 00:59 - 1:21: Straight cuts are used to transition between several more brutal scenes of murder. One scene shows a man we saw earlier getting beaten up attempting to get up from the ground but it being too painful for him to do so. This creates a feeling of sympathy for him. (6 shots)

• 1:21 - 1:26: A straight cut transitions to the last scene which depicts people walking around shocked after what has happened, with small fires on the road to show the disasters affect everyone. The music then fades out in one long high note to end calmly. A voice then talks over the ending note with the text on the screen saying 'Mr Foch. Met James Sandin.' (1 shot)

Mise en scene

Setting

• In the film opening, we see all the different shots taken outside. The crimes shown take place at night which is typically the darkest and scariest point of the day. As the crimes committed are taken on CCTV cameras from a high angle, this adds to the tension as it shows how nobody else is around .

Lighting

• The majority of the shots in this film opening have low-key lighting to emphasise the shadows and darkness, creating a sense of fear. The only lighting provided is from a distant light, showing that as they are hidden away, it is not meant to be happening and this adds to the tension. The hidden light could be interpreted as a metaphor for how there is little positivity and the identity of everyone shown is hidden.

• As these crimes occur at night, some shots are in black and white adding to the tension as it is harder to see what is happening. The light provided is from gun shots and fires, showing that crime is a major theme and adds to the sense of fear.

Costume and Makeup

• As there are no other close up shots used we cannot tell what the others are wearing but the majority of the people are men. In this shot we can see a woman dressed in a vest top and shorts with no shoes on. She is covered in bruises and dirt, showing that as a woman, she was abused but not killed.

Key Shots, Camera Movements, and Edits

00:31 - 00:33

• This shot is a medium close up of a girl crouched on the floor and looking around her before slowly standing up. Her body language reflects that she is scared and aware of her surroundings as she is huddled together and she cautiously looks around her before slowly getting up. Her hair is messy and unwashed, and her clothes are ragged and dirty, giving us an idea that she has been there a while. We cannot see any facial features, hiding her identity.

00:35 - 00:38

• This shot depicts a long shot of a fire happening in the middle of the frame with people running frantically. The fire is the main thing seen in this shot due to being large and taking up most of the frame. We cannot see any features of the people as they are simply silhouettes in front of the fire briefly on the screen. As the fire is large and occurring behind a gate this could be seen for how danger is growing and people cannot control it anymore. The fire casts shadows which is where people are running from, creating a sense of fear. The catastrophe shown in this shot is juxtaposed with the music which is calm and peaceful orchestra music.

00:51 - 00:55

• This shot depicts of three men abusing another man who is on the floor unable to help himself. This occurs on the far right of the screen, highlighting the shadows taking up the majority of the screen. The large shadows create a sense of fear and dark connotations. The shot is also displayed in lowkey-lighting, representing the darkness of the event.

1:05 - 1:09

• This mid shot depicts of a man wearing a white shirt covered in blood attempting to get up after being abused and left on the streets to die. However this shot doesn't focus on him as he is quite blurry in the background of stumps. This should show how the people with sudden power are not focusing on the people but rather on hurting them. The light used in this shot is quite hazy and seemingly from a streetlamp, which also creates shadows with a sense of fear and tension. The music notes are high and closer together, highlighting the tension.

1:14 - 1:18

• This shot is a high angle displaying a victim attempting to get away but being pulled down by two aggressive and strong men. This happens in the left corner of the screen, highlighting that it is hidden away from other people to see. The lighting is low-key but bright enough to see what is happening. The music carries on high pitched and lots of notes before a lower note sounds through connoting peace.

1:21 - 1:26

• The last shot shown is a high angle, presenting the destruction that is caused after the crimes of 'the purge' happened. There are very few people walking in different directions, and there is a fire in the middle of the road that is just ignored by everyone walking past. The shot is all in green perhaps a metaphor for how it will turn out well in the end and the people walking around survived. The music extends from the scene before in a high note and fades out.

Overall, this movie opening is unlike the others I have deconstructed due to the juxtaposition of music and what is shown. I do not think it is as effective in building up tension as using low fast pace music is. However, the movie opening is shot using long shots which is effective as most of the frame is left in shadows, which creates a sense of fear. The more room around the protagonists mean there is more chance something will happen to them, therefore as this is our plot, we may consider using more long shots in our film opening.

Shutter Island (2010) - Film Opening Deconstruction

Synopsis

"Shutter Island is a 2010 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese, based on Dennis Lehane's 2003 novel of the same name. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as U.S. Marshal Edward "Teddy" Daniels, who is investigating a psychiatric facility on Shutter Island after one of the patients goes missing. Mark Ruffalo plays his partner officer; Ben Kingsley is the facility's lead psychiatrist; and Michelle Williams is Daniels' wife. Receiving generally favourable reviews from critics, the film grossed over $294 million at the box office."

Shutter Island (2010 film) n.d. In Wikipedia. Retrieved 23rd November 2016 from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutter_Island_(film)

Producers & distributors : Paramount Pictures

"Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film studio, television production company and motion picture distributor, consistently ranked as one of the "Big Six" film studios of Hollywood. It is a subsidiary of U.S. media conglomerate Viacom. Paramount is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
In 2014, Paramount Pictures became the first major Hollywood studio to distribute all of its films in digital-form only.
Paramount is the fifth oldest surviving film studio in the world, the second oldest surviving film studio in the United States, and the sole member of the "Big Six" major film studios which is still located in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Hollywood."

Paramount Pictures n.d. In Wikipedia. Retrieved 23rd November 2016 from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramount_Pictures

Productions of note include:

• Ghost (1990), directed by Jerry Zuger. Budget: $22 million Box office gross: $505.7 million.

• Forrest Gump (1994), directed by Robert Zemeckis. Budget: $55 million. Box office gross: $677.9 million.

• Titanic (1997), directed by James Cameron. Budget: $200 million. Box office gross: $2.187 billion.

• Transformers (2007), directed by Michael Bay. Budget: $150 million. Box office gross: $709.7 million.

• Kung Fu Panda (2009), directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne. Budget: $130 million. Box office gross: $631.7 million.

• Shutter Island (2010), directed by Martin Scorsese. Budget: $80 million. Box office gross: $294.8 million.

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), directed by Jonathan Liebesman. Budget: $125 million. Box office gross: $493.3 million.

Distributions of note include:

• Thinner (1996), Budget: $14 million, Box office gross: $15.3 million.

• Over the Hedge (2006), Budget: $80 million, Box office gross: $336 million. 

• Flushed Away (2006), Budget: $149 million, Box office gross: $178.1 million. 

• Shrek the Third (2007), Budget: 160 million, Box office gross: $799 million.

• Bee Movie (2007), Budget: $150 million, Box office gross: $287.6 million.

• Iron Man (2008), Budget: $140 million, Box office gross: $585.2 million.

• Megamind (2010), Budget: $130 million, Box office gross: $321.8 million.

• Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012), Budget: $145 million, Box office gross: 746.9 million

Timeline

• 00:00 - 0:04: The video begins with a black screen. It then fades to a shot of a darkly lit corridor. The music starts and is low and tense. The words 'A Film By Martin Scorsese' appear in red capitals, transitioning in as if it is representing a flickering lightbulb- typically used for dark themed settings. (1 shot)

• 00:04 - 0:09: It then fades into a sequence of a spinning shot of a spiral staircase. This adds an element of illusion and confusion. The words 'Produced by Micky Medavoy Arnold Messer' appear in red capitals using the same transition. A high note is added to the long low notes to add more tension. (1 shot)

• 00:09 - 0:12: The scene then fades to a sequence of a shot of a gate that is lit with lowkey-lighting. There is also visible rain happening in this scene which adds to the morbid mise-en-scene. The music is still eerie and briefly goes quiet adding to the tension before carrying on whilst the words 'Screenplay By Laeta Kalogriois' transition on the same way as the previous scenes. (1 shot)

• 00:12 - 0:16: The scene then fades to a close up of a hand that looks as if it is shaking and is pressed against the floor- adding to tension. The words 'Based On A Novel By Dennis Lehane' appear at the same time but this time in white text, not read suggesting a change in scene. (1 shot)

• 0:16 - 0:25: The music suddenly becomes a loud crash and goes dark as if someone is walking in front and covering the camera. It then quickly cuts to a long shot of an opening of a gate and the camera is moving forwards at a fast rate. As the camera nears the gates they are opened and the camera goes through whilst the music is a long quiet low note. (1 shot)

• 00:25 - 0:30: The music then becomes louder before reaching its loudest point and the screen suddenly goes black. It then cuts to a close up behind shot of someone before starting an 180 degree shot around them. There are flames that are clearly visible in the background adding suspense and danger. (1 shot)

• 00:30 - 0:36: The sequence then fades into a shot of a gun and a foot stepping on top of it and dragging it away. This adds a sense of crime or danger to the scene. (1 shot)

• 00:36 - 0:40: This then fades into a dark shot with snow falling down across the screen. The music becomes one long eerie note during this shot, creating a sense of tension and danger in the mise en scene. (1 shot)

• 00:40 - 0:45: The long note of music carries onto the next shot which depicts a dark room only lit by light coming through a barred door. There are handcuffs and chains in the room presenting a prison-like theme which links with the shot of the gates earlier. (1 shot)

• 00:45 - 0:52: The music suddenly takes a dramatic turn and becomes loud with many short beats playing. It fades into a black screen with the music still playing and then fades into one long note before playing a loud note at the same time a match is struck, adding more tension. (2 shots)

• 00:52 - 0:55: The screen goes black again before quickly cutting to a long shot of an island at the same time of the loud beat. The whole mise-en-scene is dark and looks isolated- linking to the prison theme. (2 shots)

• 00:55 - 1:01: The screen suddenly goes black and plays out the long note before playing the loud note and the words 'SHUTTER ISLAND' suddenly appear on the screen in big red capitals. As soon as the words appear they start to zoom in towards the 'audience', adding a visual tension. (2 shots)

Mise en scene

Setting

• The first aspect of setting we see is outside a building with gates with guards standing by them. This suggests that it is either an important place such as a royal castle or a prison. Even though it is daylight, the dark surroundings looming over the building suggest it is a dark negative place. The guards standing outside suggest the people inside are trapped and isolated, adding effect.

• This shot then depicts of a dark room with handcuffs and chains, only lit by the barred door and small window, giving the impression of a prison. The limited light emphasises the lack of freedom and positivity.

Lighting

• Low-key lighting is used throughout the film opening to create a dark and eerie atmosphere. It also represents how the themes of this film is dark and not bright and cheerful. The dark atmosphere creates shadows and a sense of fear. As well as little lighting, dark colours are also used in the mise en scene such as blacks, greys and browns which are bleak and link to the setting of a prison.

Key Shots, Camera Movements, and Edits

00:00 - 00:04

• The movie opening begins with a black screen before fading into a long shot of a corridor from a setting similar to a prison. The frame is lit by the dim lamps hanging from the ceiling, creating many shadows and the majority of the shot being dark, exaggerating the tense atmosphere. There are also drips coming down from the ceiling showing that, by there being a leak, it is not well looked after. The prison cells look empty suggesting that it is abandoned. The music is an elongated low note to highlight the tension.

00:08 - 00:12

• This shot is a long shot of a gate in the distance. The frame is dark as the low-key lighting is only provided by the light in the distance acting as a spotlight on the gate. The addition of rain adds to the morbid mise en scene. The music that had been playing throughout the rest of the shots goes silent, adding to the tension, making the audience anxious as to what is going to happen.

00:12 - 00:16

• This shot is an extreme close up of a male's hand, with the identity of the person being hidden as only the hand is shown. It is pressed against the concrete ground with some force suggesting that this person is putting some of their weight onto it. This is also shown by the hand shaking quite viciously as if they were supporting themselves on it, as well as showing a sort of physical struggle. The music gets louder throughout until the end of the shot when the hand moves suddenly and part of the ground moves by the force of their hand. A noise similar to thunder suddenly plays over the music before the screen goes blank.

00:16 - 00:26

• After the loud crash of music and blank screen, the camera then shows a long shot of the front of a building with a large gate, and moving towards it on a tracking shot. As the camera gets closer, the gates are opened by two guards adding more tension as there is suspense as to what is behind. As the camera moves through the gate the music plays an elongated low note before gradually getting louder before making a loud noise similar to before and the screen quickly cuts to a dark blank screen.

00:30 - 00:36

• This shot is a close up of a silver gun laying on the floor and a foot gently stepping on it and dragging it away. The sense of discreteness suggests that they shouldn't be with a gun and adds a sense of crime and danger to the thrilling theme. As the gun could be seen as hidden, this may be interpreted as a metaphor for the hidden identity of the person taking it. The music goes quiet and plays a low note that sounds like it is from a wind instrument, adding to the tension.

00:40 - 00:45

• The shot is faded into a dark lit room, with the only light provided from the door which looks like a cage door, linking to the idea of the prison setting. The room has dark tiled walls giving a cold feeling to the scene, as well as the empty room with no belongings as if anyone who had possibly been there before doesn't exist, or anyone who is put there is stripped of their identity. The handcuffs and chains also present a prison-like theme and adds to the idea of torture and discomfort. The limited lighting emphasises the lack of freedom and positivity, especially as both the door and the tiny window are barred. The music throughout this scene slowly becomes louder and higher-pitched, highlighting the growing tension.

00:45 - 00:51

• The music then takes a dramatic turn and the beats are closer together and loud. This implies that the tension is at its highest. The screen turns black whilst playing the loud sudden beats and on one of the beats, the darkness is suddenly interrupted with a strike of a single match, emphasising the tension, and makes the audience feel anxious. The hidden identity of this person, as only their hands holding the matchbox and match are shown in the close up shot, suggests that they are not meant to be there, adding to the thrilling theme.

00:51 - 00:56

• The screen goes black instantly and the music goes silent. Then the loud beat plays again whilst the screen presents an extreme long shot of an island. The frame is dark with the colours of blue and black being emphasised, giving a cold feel to the shot. The use of colours also gives an idea that this island is isolated as no sign of life or colour is shown. This leads onto the idea that this is where the prison is held, linking to earlier shots. As well as this, the idea of the isolated island may link to the title of the film of 'Shutter Island' perhaps meaning 'shut away island', foreshadowing the rest of the film.

From this film opening, low-key lighting and low beat music contribute to building up suspense to keep the viewer on edge. Unlike other thriller films, this opening sets a fast pace which I think is more effective. Therefore, in my film opening I will consider using these conventions to create a suspenseful thriller.

Orphan (2009) - Film Opening Deconstruction

Synopsis

"Orphan is a 2009 American psychological thriller film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson. The film stars Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, and Isabelle Fuhrman. The plot centers on a couple who, after the death of their unborn child, adopt a mysterious 9-year-old girl.
Orphan was produced by Joel Silver and Susan Downey of Dark Castle Entertainment, and Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran of Appian Way Productions. The film was released theatrically in the United States on July 24, 2009 by Warner Bros. Pictures. Some critics compared Fuhrman's performance as Esther to that of Linda Blair in The Exorcist and Patty McCormack in The Bad Seed."

Orphan (2009 film) n.d. In Wikipedia. Retrieved 21st November 2016 from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orphan_(film)

Producers: Dark Castle Entertainment

"Dark Castle Entertainment is an American film production label, it is a division of Silver Pictures, a production house formally affiliated with Warner Bros., now affiliated with Universal Studios. It was formed in 1999 by Joel Silver, Robert Zemeckis, and Gilbert Adler. Susan Downey was the Vice President of Development until February 2009, a term running congruent to her tenure as a VP of Production at parent company Silver Pictures.

Dark Castle Entertainment's name pays homage to William Castle, a horror filmmaker from the 1950s and 1960s. When first formed, the goal was to remake Castle's horror films (very similar to another production company Platinum Dunes). After two remakes, it moved on to producing original material, along with remakes of non-Castle films. Starting with RocknRolla, the company began producing films in genres other than horror. Initially, most of the company's films were mostly critically panned, however recently their film Splice has received better reviews by critics."

Dark Castle Entertainment n.d. In Wikipedia. Retrieved 21st November 2016 from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Castle_Entertainment

Productions of note include:

• House on Haunted Hill (1999) Budget: $37 million. Gross: $44.3 million.

• Thirteen Ghosts (2001) Budget: $42 million. Gross: $68.4 million.

• Ghost Ship (2002) Budget: $20 million. Gross: $$68.3 million.

• Gothika (2003) Budget: $40 million. Gross: $141.5 million.

• RocknRolla (2008) Budget: $15 million. Gross: $25.7 million.

• Orphan (2009) Budget: $20 million. Gross: $78.3 million.

• Splice (2010) Budget: $30 million. Gross: $23.9 million.

Distributors: Warner Bros

"WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. is a fully integrated, broad-based entertainment company and a global leader in the creation, production, distribution, licensing and marketing of all forms of entertainment and their related businesses. A Time Warner Company, the fully integrated, broad-based Studio is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry from feature film, television and home entertainment production and worldwide distribution to DVD and Blu-ray, digital distribution, animation, comic books, video games, product and brand licensing, and broadcasting.

The company’s vast library, one of the most prestigious and valuable in the world, consists of more than 75,000 hours of programming, including nearly 7,000 feature films and 5,000 television programs comprised of tens of thousands of individual episodes.  Warner Bros. Entertainment’s employee population ranges from 5,000 to 10,000 on any given day in North America (depending on the level of television and movie production) and some 2,000 employees overseas.

Warner Bros. Pictures produces and distributes a wide-ranging slate of some 18-22 films each year, employing a business paradigm that mitigates risk while maximizing productivity and capital.  Warner Bros. Pictures either fully finances or co-finances the films it produces and maintains worldwide distribution rights.  It also monetizes its distribution and marketing operations by distributing films that are totally financed and produced by third parties."

Warner Bros Pictures n.d. in Warner Bros. Retrieved 21st November 2016 from

https://www.warnerbros.co.uk/info/about-warner-bros

Distributions of note include:

• Batman (1989) - Domestic gross: $251,188,924

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) - Domestic gross: $317,575,550

• I Am Legend (2007) - Domestic gross: $256,393,010

• The Dark Knight (2008) - Domestic gross: $534,967,647

• Inception (2010) - Domestic gross: $292,576,195

• Godzilla (2014) - Domestic gross: $200,676,069

• Suicide Squad (2016) - Domestic gross: $318,146,466

Timeline

• 00:00 - 0:06: The video begins with a dark screen that gets lighter before red text transitions onto the screen by going from big jumbled letters to small text to then read 'Warner Bros. Picture Present'. Music sounds before a picture is shown, starting with a long low note before playing quick high notes, connoting a tense and eery atmosphere. (1 shot)

• 00:06 - 0:17: A straight cut is used to transition to a background close up image of tiles. The music is carried on to this scene using a sound bridge. Then a blanket type layer of red seeps down from the corner of the screen whilst text transitions onto the screen from jumbled up to display 'In association with dark castle entertainment'. When the red blanket type image travels further down the screen we can see that it is portraying blood but not too graphical and animated. The sound effects fit with the image of blood travelling down the screen to further emphasise this part. (1 shot)

• 00:17 - 0:24: The image then fades to transition to a close up picture of a building surrounded by trees. A blood splat appears in the corner as if a gunshot, and seeps further across the screen whilst the words 'Directed by Jaume Collett' appear. (1 shot)

• 00:24 - 0:31: The blood splat disappears first and then the rest of the image fades into the next scene portraying a low angle shot of trees that typically have dark connotations due to their creepy image. Another blood spat appears whilst the sound effect of a knife slicing against a hard surface is heard over the music. There is a metal construction with three chains hanging from it perhaps being attached to a swing. Parks also have dark connotations at night due to the creepy sounds made, therefore further illustrating it is a dark film. The words 'Screen Play David Leslie' then appear. (1 shot)

• 00:31 - 0:34: Another fade transition is used to then follow a finger pointing at text on paper as they are reading it.The text is mainly unreadable apart from a clear date, representing the importance of this and perhaps the occurrance of when the film is set. (1 shot)

• 00:34 - 0:38: A blood splat from the last cut is transitioned across to this scene as well as the text appearing in the last scene before becoming clear to read 'Director of Photography Jeff Cutter' in this scene. The background displays a picture of a smiling girl with her hair down giving us an idea of the main characters.It then fades into another picture of a girl who is not smiling and looks serious with dark eyes and her hair tied back. (1 shot)

• 00:38 - 0:45: A fade transition is then used to cut to an image of stairs going down which can have dark connotations especially at night. The red writing then unjumbles to read 'Executive Producers Steve Richard'. Over the music, there is sound that could represent a sword fight or something similar such as metal clashing, giving dark and harsh connotations. (1 shot)

• 00:45 - 0:53: A fade transition is used to cut to an image of a woman in a mirror. She has dark eyes and hair showing that she is not her usual self. Blood then seeps down from the mirror along with the red text reading 'Story by Alex Mace'. (1 shot)

• 00:53 - 0:59: A fade transition then cuts to a moving image of a close up of a woman distressed and screaming as she is giving birth, reflecting how this film surrounds children. The text 'Production Designer Tom Meyer' then appears along with a blood splat. (2 shots)

• 00:59 - 1:07: The screen then goes dark before transitioning to an image from behind a chair of a person sitting down with blood dripping down. It then fades to the same wheelchair being pushed along by a person all in white. The surroundings are all white and the wheelchair leaves a long trail of blood. This can be seen as something dark happening to somewhere peaceful as white connotes peace and red connotes danger. The words 'Film Editor Tim Alverson' appear when it cuts to a birds eye angle of the blood trail. (2 shots)

• 1:07 - 1:14: A fade transition then fades into a close up shot of a moving image of a hand holding a knife and follows the knife downwards to exaggerate how big it is. This links to the earlier sounds of a knife, foreshadowing what is going to happen later on in the film. The text 'Ronnie Yeskel' also appears using the same transitions as before. (1 shot)

• 1:14 - 1:21: A straight cut is then used to transition into an image of a young girl wiping a cloth down her face in an exaggerated manner. All around her eyes are covered in black and it then cuts to an extreme close up of her attempting to wipe it off. It then cuts to a further away image of her wiping the cloth over her mouth as if to communicate that she cannot say anything. (3 shots)

• 1:21 - 1:27: A fade transition is used to cut to a young girl looking near the camera. The picture is slightly blurred possibly to illustrate how she has no identity anymore. (1 shot)

• 1:27 - 1:37: A fade transition is used to cut to a dark scene where a young girl is barely visible. At first a doll behind the girl is in focus before focusing on the girl at the front who is wiping her face with a cloth. The image then fades to a girl walking to look in front of a mirror that is shattered which reflects how dark the story is within the film and how 'bad' their luck is following the superstition of 'seven years bad luck'. (2 shots)

• 1:37 - 1:42: A fade transition then cuts to a bright image of the building surrounded by trees again before the letters 'Orphan' unjumble in big red text whilst the sound of glass shattering is heard. (1 shot)

Mise en scene

Setting

• In the film opening we can see the corner of a building surrounded by trees. As we do not see much of the building it creates a sense of fear as it is unknown whereabouts this is, and unknown what or who is inside. The scene then cuts to a low angle shot of these same type of trees which typically have dark and eerie connotations.

Lighting

• Low-key lighting is used throughout the opening to demonstrate how it is a dark theme. It also has mysterious connotations and leaves the viewer wandering what is happening. Shadows are illuminated with the dark lighting, introducing a sense of fear.

Costume and Makeup

• The photo of the girl we see is wearing a dress that typically looks old-fashioned giving us an idea for when this film was set. She is also wearing a choker necklace which was popular to wear then. In the second photograph we can see that her eyes are dark giving the impression that she has been possessed.

• The eyelids of this girl are dark and greyish to illuminate them and perhaps to show she is possessed as eyes can be seen as to represent the gateway to a persons soul. Her face and neck are thin which exaggerate her features further but also makes her look quite ill - or not human.

• This girl is made to look quite doll-like especially by her pale, smooth, porcelain-like skin which links to the idea of the supernatural and her not even being human. The obvious use of make-up on the eyes and lips highlights to idea that girls typically wear make-up.

Key Shots, Camera Movements and Edits

00:00 - 00:17

• The opening of this film begins with a black screen before tilting up. The shot is close-up so the viewer is unsure of what is being shown. The music starts playing at the beginning with one long note and short high pitched notes following. This creates a tense atmosphere and the black screen at the beginning depicts the uncertainty of what is going to happen. The shot then fades into a close up of a tiled wall perhaps representing the cold cruelness that is happening. A blanket-type layer of red seeps down the frame which could be seen as a euphemism for blood but is animated to make it seem child-like, linking to the main characters of the film being children.

00:24 - 00:31

• This shot is a low angle shot of trees which typically have dark connotations due to their appearance and typicality of being placed in a forest which is seen as creepy. There is also a metal construction which three chains hanging from it in a circular motion perhaps being attached to a swing. Parks can be seen as dark, particularly at night due to the sounds made being creepy and chains link to an idea of torture. The low angle shot could be in the point of view of a child who would most likely use the swing as parks are built for children.

1:08 - 1:14

• This shot is a close up high angle shot of a long knife someone is holding whilst walking. The camera follows the knife from the top down to the bottom of the blade, emphasising the size of this and the danger it can cause. It is also emphasised by the use of slow motion to prolong the shot and highlight the importance of the dangerous object. The low-key lighting also highlights the danger and darkness of the weapon.

1:15 - 1:20

• This shot is a close up and an extreme close up of a young girl rubbing a cloth over her face perhaps in attempt to remove the black inky substance from her face. She looks upset and as if she is about to cry, giving us the idea she is being forced to do this and the substance on her face was put there by something else. This shot also links to the fact that it is a thriller film about young children.

1:27 - 1:32

• In this close up shot we can see a doll in the background behind the child, giving us an idea of who is manipulating these children. This child is also wiping their face with a cloth to remove a similar substance to the other girl. The way the camera focuses on the doll and then on the child gives us the idea that the child may not see the doll. It also links to the genre of thriller as dolls are typically seen to be creepy, and links to the characters of children as dolls are children toys. The low-key lighting and low notes of the music highlights the tension and makes the viewer feel uncomfortable seeing the child unknowingly being watched.

1:32 - 1:37

• This shot shoes another girl with dark eyes surrounded by the substance previously shown. The close up presents the girl slowly walking up to a smashed mirror with a shocked expression on her face, giving us the idea that it is someone else who is haunting them and manipulating them. The music elongates to a high pitched note to exaggerate the tension when she sees the mirror. The idea of a smashed mirror is "7 years bad luck" which is also shown through the low key lighting and facial expression.

From this film opening I have learnt how low-key lighting and close up shots contribute to building up tension, and are effective in thriller films. Therefore, in my media product I can take these conventions into consideration.

Prelim Task Reflection

Planning

• The planning process included thinking of a working title after thinking of the synopsis. We also decided on how many characters there should be and their names and roles. After doing this, we wrote a screenplay and drew a storyboard so we had a clear idea how to structure it when we filmed.
• The planning benefited us as when we started to film we had a clear idea what shots we were using and where the characters were being placed.

Production

• Filming was harder than we expected, however with the help of our screenplay and storyboard we were able to achieve what we wanted.
• There were some difficulties of filming in school as the room we were using was needed so we had to leave, and when we did the shot of the woman walking along, the camera was shaky from us walking along behind which wasn't the clean affect we wanted.

Technology

• When filming we encountered using a camera and tripod for the first time which took some getting used to but in the end we agreed to film free-hand as the tripod was big and awkward in some places. We also used editing software for the first time.
• From experiencing using this equipment, I've learnt that it is a quicker and easier process to use the camera free-hand rather than setting up a tripod. The skills I've picked up from the editing software will be able to help me next time as well.

Problem solving

• After we filmed the shots, the SD card was misplaced so we inevitably lost all our work. To overcome this we had to refilm it in a different location with different people, and as it was more spontaneous than structured it didn't turn out as well.
• We also had problems with the editing software as we downloaded free trials onto our laptops but the website glitched and said our trial expired so we had to wait to edit at school.

Team work

• As we were in a group of two, we were able to bounce ideas off each other to achieve a developed outcome which we both agreed on. Working as a small group was easier in my opinion as there were less of us so we were less dependant on others as a bigger group may have been. We also found that it was easier to decide on an outcome as we had a similar perspective on the idea, and were able to contribute similar amounts to the idea so it was fair.