At our screening for our film we asked each person to fill out a questionaire
Here are two examples picked at random
Example 1:
Example 2:
These provided us with very good feedback
positive feedback:
Things to possibly change:
Just been to South Africa for my cousin's wedding, and while there, I discovered something really interesting and good.
I was having my hair done, for the wedding, and i picked up a magazine from the middle of the pile. On the cover was one line describing a story about teen suicide pacts over the internet, and since I thought this was relevant to our film, I chose that magazine. I turned to the article, and the journalist had titled it "Caught in the Web" which is our film title that we had decided a week before that!
This finding made me happy because it proved that our title was really good and appropriate, since someone in another country had used it for their real magazine.
That's it really..
OH, and I watched our final film for the first time yesterday (as I was away for our actual deadline) and I really liked it! I watched it with my dad (who was in it) and he said "Ooh that's really quite good! It's amazing how quickly it all happens. Is there any more?" and then he said "the end part could have been a bit slower perhaps". So, first feedback is pretty good as it left him wanting to see more, and he doesn't even like horror films.. But I suppose ours is kind of a hybrid of horror and thriller because it doesn't have as much slashing as other horror films, and has the thriller aspect of a chase and is full of enigma.
We have been trying to come up with a good title, but it's not easy.
Here are some we have come up with.
Obviously some of these are awful, but we're just trying to get our creative juices flowing...
The computer conversation in "Something's Gotta Give" shows lots of good techniques like zooming in to the line as it's being typed, and cuts between expression and screen in a realistic way. We could easily try all this.
Something I've noticed in watching film clips, and TV clips, is that when a conversation is happening, the camera isn't constantly on the person who is talking, it is also on the other person to see their reactions, while the first person is still talking. I think we should do this with ours because it makes it look more natural, and will show off our continuity skills.
Here is a film clip showing a conversation, which we can adapt by using cross-cutting, (shown in the film clip of "The Holiday" which is earlier on in our blog.)
It would be good if we could use a combination of all these techniques to show the conversation in our sequence, and not just the same one over and over, to show variety. We will film the whole thing from the different perspectives and then intergrate them using the different "techniques".
We have not really researched/decided what the two villains in our sequence will be like, so I've looked at how male murders of the same sort have been portrayed in these films. We need to decide on dress, make-up, voice, body language and personality.
TO BE CONTINUED........
Just thought I'd mention that our film will most likely be rated "18" because of its content. This is from bbfc.co.uk (british broadcasting film classification).
In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC's public consultations, at '18' the BBFC's guideline concerns will not normally override the wish that adults should be free to chose their own entertainment, within the law. Exceptions are most likely in the following areas:
We've decided to further our research about the use of suicide in film, and have chosen these three films to look at. Because we are focusing on this sensitive issue, we want to handle it delicately by getting as many facts as we can rather that making it up for our sequence, and so we're looking at how other films have handled it.
1) The Virgin Suicides
Based on the novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, the film tells of the suicides of the five Lisbon sisters in an upper middle class suburb of Detroit during the 1970s. The girls’ suicides fascinate their community as their neighbours struggle to find an explanation for the acts.
2) The Happening
3) Heathers
Heathers is a 1989 black comedy film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty. The film portrays four girls in a trend-setting clique at a suburban Midwestern high school. The girls—three of whom are named "Heather"—rule the school through intimidation, contempt, and sex appeal. JD makes Veronica murder people, when she is just trying to get revenge by pranking them. To cover up her murder of one girl, they forge a suicide note, (which is how it relates to our film). They also shoot two guys in the woods, who are naked (with the promise of Veronica fulfilling a dirty rumour about herself), and JD and Veronica put gay porn magazines next to them and a forged suicide note saying the lovers had a suicide pact. These are the only elements that are similar to our film.
The Trailer
This trailer is really strange, which fits the genre as it is a black comedy. It uses a big voice over which is similar to other teen movies, however the actual subject matter is quite dark. I don't think it is a very good trailer, but I put it up there because it is roughly about the same things as our film.
I started to have a look at some help websites, most were to prevent suicide but were not aimed at the suicidal person themselves, but to a friend or family member. I started to look at the colours and themes that they used for their backgrounds , to either aim them at youth or adults.
I have found some of the websites use muted, calming colours such as pale blues and greens. This is obviously because of the state of mine that these people are in, they might be quite on edge and (although it sounds irrational) be set off by anything, including a brightly colour, flashing, animated web page.
The websites all have inspiring quotes and statements such as “Suicide is not chosen; it happens when pain exceeds resources for coping with pain.” and "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." The websites are there to provide hope and advice in these peoples most desperate time of need. They need to appear caring.
If we are going to show words from the screen of the computor then will will need to think very carefully about how our website will be designed and what kind of things we will say. Ideally we will set up a blog to look like a help website, however I have found from research online that most of the one on one advice from 'agony aunts' to the suicidal people happens in forums, so perhaps there is some way of creating a forum.
Listed below are a few of the problems that can potentially trigger suicidal thoughts in a young person:
Death of a parent.
Divorce of parents.
Feeling like a "pawn" that is being used between feuding, divorced parents.
Joining a new family with a step-parent and step-siblings.
Breaking up with a boyfriend / girlfriend.
Moving to a new community.
Not feeling accepted by peers.
Being ridiculed by classmates.
Feeling misunderstood.
Any experience perceived to be "humiliating."
Alcohol abuse.
Drug abuse.
to be continued...by Amelia
We love the montagey, fast-paced, enigma creepiness of Se7en's opening sequence - is it the murderer or a victim or a detective? You see a hint of information, but not enough to make out a clear character. The titles are also brilliant, hand written on black screens as well as over the action. This technique of mixing the two really appeals to me, as opposed to having black screens the whole time for titles (or vice versa). Also the music in this sequence is so suggestive - it sounds like technology breaking down, computers hissing, dripping water, an electro beat, all mixed together to make an eery soundtrack that compliments the on-screen action perfectly. I think the music is very important - not only the type of music but when it comes in, when it's loud or soft, or when the base is clear/in the background. More than anything this clip inspires inspires you to find great music!
We found some samples of music tracks we liked as first ideas for our soundtrack. They all come from 'Freeplay Music'.
http://freeplaymusic.com/search/category_search.php?sindex=11&i=1403&t=v
These three tracks we liked for when the titles start in our opening sequence - our favourite is A Cinematic Touch, as the other two get too epic and happy.
We thought we'd look at murder weapons and how they've featured in some classic films/scenes. This is our moodboard of many different instruments of murder, such as the knife, gun, chainsaw and pills:
1) Misery
As you can see, this is the classic scene in the classic horror/thriller "Misery", where Cathy Bates, the derranged obsessive kidnapper breaks the feet of her victim.
2) Nightmare On Elm Street
This is the infamous star of "Nightmare on Elm Street", the murderer Freddy Kruger with knives for fingers. The make up use is also really effective in creating his character - he clearly stands out from the usual killer. There is an element of humour about his outfit now, but at the time he was a terrifying character. I like the idea of using exaggerated make-up, as I think this is usually more effective than an understated killer. However Freddy Kruger's face would be too complicated.
3) Halloween
Mike Myers in "Halloween" always uses the kitchen knife as his tool, right from when he's as little boy and takes in from his kitchen. We all have kitchen knives so this would be a practical tool!
4) Psycho
5) The Texas Chainsaw Masacre
Although it would be hard to get our hands on a chainsaw, it's such a scary murder weapon that it really appeals to me! It connotes real destruction and lots of blood...and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre really is a sick, horrible film - brilliant, but totally sick. Again, difficult for our task on a low budget/not a lot of time.The axe hacking its way through the bathroom door in "The shining" we thought wa
s a good example of a random object being used as the killer's main choice of weapon - apart from the knife, it's the best, I think. The audience is more scared because they know axes are more accessible than a gun or a chainsaw.
