Target Audience and Data Research

To work out what type of audience would be interested in our opening sequence we made a survey that can be filled out online: through our website or using a link. We asked our family and friends to fill out our survey making sure that we asked a wide range of people so that our sample is not biased towards one gender or age group. We asked general questions about what type of films they enjoy and what aspects of films they think should be included in a thriller and a comedy. 

We then analysed the results to give us a good idea of what type of audience our opening sequence will appeal to:

The majority of people that filled in our survey were female therefore it may be slightly biased towards a female audiences views. 23% of those that filled in our survey were male and 77% were female. 

Again our results show that 88.4% who filled in our survey were aged 16-18 years old so it may be biased towards 'teen' views. It was difficult to get a wide range of ages as the majority of people that filled in our survey go to sixth form with us therefore are all 16-18 years old. However we managed to get some older and younger views by asking our parents and younger siblings. 

We found that 45% said that comedy films are their favourite type of movie, romance and horror being the next on 18%. This was useful for us to know as we are planning on creating a comedy/thriller opening sequence therefore we are pleased that comedy is the most popular genre. 

We found that comedy/romance films are the most popular by 54%  with the other two at 23% , however we are adamant that we will work with the thriller genre as it is the best genre to show off editing and filming techniques, it is also the most enjoyable to film.  

Our survey told us that 82& of people that filled it out enjoy climax and anticlimaxes in thriller films, followed by jump scares at 68%. This will help us when planning our filming and writing our script as we now know what techniques to include to satisfy the audience. 

We then asked a similar question on comedy aspects, we found that 95% enjoy sarcasm in comedy films and 55% also enjoy hysterical laughter. We will therefore consider including these aspects in our opening sequence, especially sarcasm as it was the most popular comedy aspect. 

Our last question told us that 36% thought that a thriller film is best set in a mental asylum, and 36% also thought a family home scenario would suit it well. As filming in a mental asylum would be very difficult a family home scenario looks like our best location option as we all are able to use our own houses for this.

This survey has really helped us to gather ideas for location and given us ideas on filming/editing aspects to include in our opening sequence. We think our opening sequence should be aimed at two of the four quadrants: under 25 males and under 25 females. This is because we got our ideas and opinions from a mainly young/'teen' audience therefore we know their preferences well. Also we are of a similar age to these two categories so we can produce an opening sequence that we are interested in and hopefully our interests and opinions will be similar to our target audiences. 

25 Word Pitch

Children hide in an attempt to escape the grasp of an unidentified male. Time is rapidly decreasing, but what dark event is awaiting when discovered?

Initial Ideas

Within this Prezi we have discussed our initial ideas, we have come up with two ideas and from this we are going to choose one to develop

Inspiration From Real Media: Zombieland

James and Harmony

Zombieland 2009

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Writers: Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick

Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson and Abigail Breslin

Genre: Comedy/Thriller

'A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, a gun-toting tough guy trying to find the last Twinkie, and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America' IMDB.

The film begins with Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) explaining some rules on how to survive zombieland. While he is explaining the rules through the use of non-diegetic sound in the form of a voiceover, short video clips are shown of people not obeying the rules. The opening sequence takes you straight into the hear of the action and the voiceover helps to explain to the viewer what is happening and it sets the scene.

Opening scene; The first image shown

In the opening the american flag is shown allowing the audience to know where the production is being set. Non-diagetic sound of a voice over paired with high pitched, fast paced, eary music. computer generated sounds are used to create a modern yet thriller type atmosphere.

First sighting of a zombie

A mid shot is used to capture the surrounding set as well as the zombie. A handheld camera is used to create a sense of panic which links the the genre of the film (thriller). Here, diegetic sound is used to make the scene more realistic as you can hear screaming, explosions, burning fires and zombie grunts. You also see the action from the point of view of the person filming the zombie attack on them making the viewer feel like it is them who are being attacked.

 






The Rules

These four shots appear before the opening credits, with a voiceover of Columbus (Jessie Eisenberg) explaining some rules of how to survive Zombieland. Throughout the film he explains some other rules but the ones he mentioned at the beginning are cardio, Double Tap, Beware of Bathrooms and Seatbelts.

These images show the opening credits which appear in slow motion, this allows the audience to see the zombies and the reactions on peoples faces. Some of the images are humorous, for example grown men running from a zombie stripper and a fireman running away from a fire, this links to the genre in which we want to capture (Thriller/Comedy). The accompaniment is very much electric guitar, playing a hard rock style with some percussion to add to the theme of panic, disaster and danger.

Why did we choose this film?

We chose this film for the opening sequence we have to create as we wanted to explore both genres we are using, comedy and thriller. Zombieland uses both of these genres so it fits in perfectly to enhance our initial ideas. When making our sequence we will take into account what cinematography and editing techniques they have used:

• Non-diegetic music (voice over)
• Diegetic sound to add realism (explosions and zombie grunts)
• Slow motion to add tension and suspense 
• Mid shots in the opening credits to show booth the characters and the setting
• Hand held camera at the very beginning to show panic

Inspiration From Real Media: Shaun Of The Dead

Bella, Florence and Frances

Shaun Of The Dead 2004
Director: Edgar Wright 
Writers: Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg who was also the main character in the film
Stars: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Bill Nighy, Martin Freeman.
Genre: Comedy/Horror

"A man decides to turn his moribund life around by winning back his ex-girlfriend, reconciling his relationship with his mother, and dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living" IMDB

It is a parody of Dawn Of The Dead
The sequence starts off with a pan showing the work place of the women in a shopping centre. They all have the same miserable facial expression and are carrying out the same mundane task. This is contrasted by the balloons in the background which is seen as an image of celebration and happiness; it is ironic because they are acting like zombies so its almost foreshadowing what's going to happen later on in the film.

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Non-diegetic music plays throughout the whole sequence and is used in an upbeat yet creepy and mysterious way. The instruments used would be used in a typical horror movie but in this sequence it is adapted to the light-hearted situations.

This scene is also humorous as it portrays the men at the bus top as 'zombie like' when the film is about a zombie apocalypse. They all are dressed similarly in dull blue/tan colours and doing the exact same thing. It hints that technology is turning society into zombies and that everyone leads a boring routine life that almost needed a zombie apocalypse to make their life more interestin

Next there is a scene of teenagers walking in time with the music, this shows that teenagers do not really know what they're doing, almost looking stupid copying each other like this. This links in with the zombie apocalypse parody theme as they are all walking like they are injured when in fact they are just typical youths 'dancing'. This adds additional comedic value as it is heavily relatable to modern day society concerning the young adult population and their mannerisms.

The transition between these two scenes is interesting as the car drives across the scene and wipes away the last scene and introduces the next. This links the two scenes as they are both also on the street, this technique makes it easier ands smoother for the audience to watch . We are inspired by this technique as it is an easy way to change scenes and looks very effective, therefore we may use this technique when creating our own opening sequence.

This scene first appears to be scary as there is a close up of someone's feet walking in a 'zombie like' way, with a shadow of someone's body looking mysterious and creepy. The camera starts of with a close up then tilts up to his face as he's walking forward. This is paired with diegetic sound of him yawning which sounds like zombie grunting. This shows how similar everyday life is to 'zombie' life and that our innocent everyday actions connect with stereotypical zombie life this fits in well as it gives us an insight on what the film will be about.

Why did we choose this film?

We chose this film for ideas for the opening sequence we have to make as we wanted to explore both genres: comedy and thriller. Shaun Of The Dead uses these two genres so It fits in perfectly with our initial ideas. When making our sequence we will take into account what cinematography and editing techniques they have used:

• The non-diegetic music contrasting with the scenes
• The quick car swipe to change scenes
• The tilt upwards to show the characters whole body 
• Establishing shots to set the scene.

Mood Boards Task

Mood Boards

For our opening scene we have chosen to do a thriller/comedy genre. To be able to understand fully what we are looking for we have produced two mood boards one for each genre (comedy and thriller) by researching famous films, books and trailers we can take ideas from some clips to add to our own opening scene allowing a range of ideas combined as one.

Created by Harmony Parsons and James Dredge

This is a mood board we created on well known thriller films and books. To get the film an book covers we googled 'thriller films and books' we then then asked peers which ones they know. This allows our mood board to grab more peoples attention as the well known films are on the layout. We also watched a number of trailers and took screen shots of significant moments to allow the audience to know what might be seen in thriller movies.

Created by Florence Broomfield 

This is our comedy mood board. again to create this we googled 'best comedy movies' and 'best british comedies' some we already knew which was quite easy as we could just find what we wanted without having to search for a while. And as comedy is a very popular genre most of the films and books we choose are from our memory so, creating this mood board was a lot easier than creating the thriller mood board.

By researching and working together we all had a deeper knowledge of these two specific genres which allowed us to have a wider range of ideas to create our opening scene.

Continuity

What is continuity and why is it so important?

Continuity is "the unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over time". Continuity is very important when creating any sort of television programme or film as it adds a sense of realism to the production. If the production lacks continuity the viewer is often left distracted and confused.

Ways to keep continuity    

1. Make sure that each character has a specific look. If characters are constantly changing the way they dress or the way they style their hair, the audience can get confused about who each character are and they spend time trying to figure out who's who, possible resulting in them missing out on important parts of the plot. 

2. Make sure the weather is consistent in each scene. If one second it is the middle of the day and the next its the middle of the night, the film loses all continuity and the viewer is left completely confused. To avoid this possible continuity problem, each specific scene of a production should be filmed in one filming sessions. This will make sure that the weather remains the same and so the audience can imagine the action happening in real time. 

3. Any prop used must be held in the exact same every time. If in one shot a prop is held horizontally and in the next shot it is held at an vertically, it looks as if the prop has almost magically changed position all on its own.

Conclusion

Maintaining continuity can be a difficult task but it is a vital part of any film making; without it the production loses any sense of realism and the audience feel distanced from the action that is happening on screen.

In contrast, when continuity is perfect, the viewer can feel as if they are in the film and part of the action. All film producers aim to do this.

James Dredge

Opening Sequence Analysis - The Dark Night

The Dark Knight - 2008 (James Dredge)

The opening sequence of a film is vital as it must grab the viewers attention. The most important thing the opening sequence of a film must achieve is to establish a tone so that the audience fall into the same mood as the film they are watching. Often, the most successful film openings bring a well developed sense of intrigue that will leave you settled in your seat desperate to find out more about the story and the characters that are displayed to you. 

Like many opening sequences, in 'The Dark Night', the production company's logo is shown at the very beginning of the film, and being such a big budget film, multiple production company logos are displayed as many company's worked together to produce the film. These logos are the first thing the viewer sees and therefore makes sure they know who the producers of the film are and if they enjoy the film, they will go to more films produced by these companies or they will buy films that have previously been produced by them. However, the tittle of the film is not displayed to the viewer throughout the opening sequence. 

 Warner Bros Pictures owned by TimeWarner

Legendary Pictures

DC Comics

The films genre is quickly conveyed to the viewer as after a quick establishing shot of the setting, a city centre, a window of a office block is shot out quickly displaying to the viewer that the film is going to be an action packed thriller. 

Office window is shot out

Establishing Shot

Ambient music begins just before the window is smashed to indicate to the viewer that something is about to happen. 

In the opening scenes the audiences attention is drawn to the masks that the bank robbers are wearing. This shows the viewer that they are concerned about revealing their identity which creates a sense of intrigue to the viewer as they will want to find out who these people are.

The Mask

The opening sequence uses non-diegetic sound in the form of music which matches the scenes seen on screen as it is fast passed, however it is in the background and as a result you can clearly hear what the characters are saying over the music, while still being able to hear it. 
Enigma codes are used extensively throughout the opening sequence which hooks the audience into the film as they want to find the answers to the questions they have formed in their minds, for example, who is the Joker? Diegetic sound is used to add realism to the opening sequence, for example, you can clearly hear the car door clicking shut when it is closed. Quick cuts are all used through the opening sequence to display the fast pace of the action happening on screen.

For me, this opening sequence stands out from many other opening sequences as the viewer is thrown straight into the thick of the action with no real idea of why a group of clowns are robbing a bank, killing both themselves and innocent people. The opening sequence sets the tone for the entire film and lets the viewer know they are about to witness an action packed masterpiece. 
The opening sequence creates a massive amount of intrigue to the viewer as their minds are absorbed by the events that have happened and they want to know why this bank has been robbed and who exactly by.

Opening Scene Analysis: Forrest Gump

Opening Sequence analysis: Bourne Supremacy

Bourne Supremacy (2004) directed by Paul Greengrass, is one of four movies about  the character Bourne. Its action thriller and has famous actors and actresses such as Matt Damon, Karl Urban and Julia Stiles. 

The first scenes are taken as if he is in dream. To get this effect they used a hand held camera which made the shot  blurred and shaky. There are the non diegetic ambient sounds of waves and rain paired with Indian calming music. 

fast cuts from dream.

blurred shots so can't make out what they really are.

Then fast cuts are created showing numbers and flashing images of people paired with a voice over of a man saying 'This is not a drill soldier.' This creates enigma codes and makes us question what the man is talking about and who the people are in the fast cuts. This technique is very useful for creating tension and making the audience want to watch on and find out the answers. The calming music then starts to turn into piercing sound making the whole experience of his dream more sinister.

close up

Chiaroscuro lighting.

The dream then ends by the non diegetic sounds coming to a sudden stop ending with a gun shot. This increases the enigma codes and puts the audience on edge. A close up of Bourne's face is shown and the whole shot is shot in chiaroscuro lighing which gives a sense of suspicion and fear to the viewer. As he sit us text on the cut tells us that is it is set in GOA India, which explains the indian music at the beginning. 

Opening Sequence analysis - 'Up'

Up 2009 (Harmony Parsons)

'Up' is a Disney pixar production created in 2009. The film follows the story of an old man trying to avoid being taken away to a nursing home, as he wants to fly his house to paradise falls in South America to finish the adventures his wife and himself couldn't finish together; On the way a boy scout finds himself accidentally on the journey where they both have adventure of their own.
In the opening scene there is no evidence of company credits or production credits, as they are shown at the end of the production. This is interesting as the majority of films display these at the very begging of the film. Not including them draws the audience's attention straight into the action of the film and they are not left waiting for the action to begin.
The production is marked 'U' so this film is suitable for all children. 'Up' is a family film as it follows the story of a married couple which suffer average life problems and the films also shows young children that dreams can come true.
The main character is a old man named 'Carl' who has lost his wife. He wants to carry on her adventure by travelling to Paradise falls.
The opening sequence shows the beginning of Carls and Ellie's life as it presents short clips of their marriage, jobs and memories. Also in the opening sequence you are shown how they grow old together.

Jobs at the zoo

memories of picnics 

Older, Showing how long they have lived together.

Adventure Book

Photo Print screen of their marriage

Opening Scene

The opening scene of a movie is the most crucial, thought through scene of an entire production. This scene can determine the whole story which usually introduces a number of characters and their roles within the film. Depending on the genre, the opening of a production will begin in different ways, for example a typical horror film may begin with a gory or shocking event, which unfolds gradually as the film progresses. However a more comedic film may begin with a humorous scene, introducing several of the characters and showing us the link between them and are usually not as mysterious, as this is not what a comedy film would typically involve. In an opening sequence, it is also important to include titles such as names of the directors, actors/actresses, production team etc. This, along with the logo of the production company who produced the film, is the most significant aspects of an opening sequence as it is recognisable as the beginning or end of a media production.


Examples of opening scenes-

Inception 2010 (Frances)

Inception, directed by Christopher Nolan
The opening of this film is extremely confusing, involving the main character (Cobb) laying face down on the beach, looking at a young boy and girl who play in the distance (we are not known of who these children are or why they are there). This is followed by a man who approaches him in uniform, armed with weaponry, who lifts Cobbs coat to reveal a gun in his back pocket along with a spinning top. From this scene there is almost nothing we can draw from or be sure of. A large number of questions are raised, which is an effective technique as it is leaving the rest of the story to mystery, to be later explained. The camera angles are simple, there are minimal cuts and we often see from Cobbs POV. This, along with the mysterious nature of the scene, adds to the 'feeling of a dream' that is being purposely created throughout the film.

Preliminary Task

In our preliminary task we used shots such as match on action, shot reverse shot, pan, close ups and we used the 180° rule throughout the whole sequence. 

Match on action:

Match on action is where the editor cuts from one shot to another view that matches the first shot's action.
We used match on action shots in our preliminary task to show her walking to the door enraged and opening the door aggressively to highlight the angry tone and set the scene of the argument. A match on action technique can preserve continuity where there is an unrepeated physical motion or change within a passage, for example when Harmony opens the door it is edited to show two different views while maintaining continuity by making sure that the second shot shows the arm of her in the same stage of motion as she was left when cutting from the first shot. 

Shot reverse shot:

Shot/reverse shot is where one character is shown looking at another character  and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character.
Shot reverse shots are features of the "classical" Hollywood style of continuity editing, to make the clip run smoother as if it were happening the way you would see it in real life. It shows what the character is supposedly looking at and makes the audience feel like they are part of the argument. 
Within our shot reverse shots we used over the shoulder shots to remind the audience that the argument is between two characters, not a camera, this makes the scenario appear more realistic. 

Over the shoulder shot

Close up

180° rule:

180-degree rule - imagine your two characters are standing on a line-  you should only film 

from one side of this line, and at all times your camera should stay within an imaginary semi-circle around them.
This rule allows the audience to get a sense of location in the scenario especially when using shot reverse shots.  It is referred to as a rule because the camera, when shooting two actors, must not cross over the axis of action, if it does it risks giving the impression that the actors' positions in the scene have been reversed and this may confuse the audience and give the clip bad continuity. 

Throughout the clip we always stayed on James's right side and Harmony's left side to keep continuity and not confuse the audience.

Panning shot:

A pan is a horizontal camera movement in which the camera moves left and right about a central axis. A pan shot is used to make the clip less choppy, otherwise we would just see James from the side then suddenly jump to him from the front. 

We have then used a pan to show James's reaction to what Harmony says.

 This is what the pan ends on, we can clearly see James's facial expression, upset and angry, towards the situation.

We then used another pan to further show James's frustration, by panning down to see James on his knees in sorrow towards what he has just been told. 

Conclusion:

While filming our preliminary task we enjoyed editing the clips and putting it all together as we could see it gradually getting more professional looking and less choppy. However, we found it challenging to film the final panning shot of James kneeling to the floor as it was a quick movement and we couldn't film it fast enough. As a group we all really enjoy editing as you get to see all your hard work finally come together with few continuity errors.