Third Day Filming

This was our last and final day filing. In this time we had to film all the alley way scenes and also Liza walking to the front door. Our original plan was to film in the station as Liza got off the train however we ran out of time to shoot this scene so began on the alley way scene instead. Alex and Harry could not attend the filming session due to other plans therefore Carmen and I had to film it all with our stalker, Jack and Liza.

We started off by filming Liza walking out of the station and round the corner down the alley way. However this too a few attempts due to random people getting in the way, but eventually we got the shot we needed. We stood a distance away from the station just behind a shop to give that feel of a hidden stalker. We set up the tripod however we ended up resting the camera on the shop shelf as it was higher up and looked more effective. The camera movements we used was a panning shot to show Liza walking down the alley way. I filmed this scene whilst Carmen was the director.

The next shot we filmed was Liza walking down the alley way (face on to the camera) and walking past the camera. We then decided to pan back to the beginning of the alley way to see Jack (stalker) stood head down with a black hoody on. Again this took a few attempts as people kept walking down the alley way, and also our tripod was very stiff so made the shot look shaky.

Next Carmen filmed a shot from Liza's point of view. She walked all the way down the alley way with the camera attached to the tripod, however looking back on the footage we realised the tripod made a rattling effect, so we took the tripod off and Carmen held the camera whilst walking. As we shot the scene a second time a train was just pulling into the station which made a squeaky noise, I think this worked well with our shot as it added a sense of eeriness. Next we filmed the stalkers point of view. I stood behind Liza and followed he with the handheld camera to the end of the alley way. As Liza reached nearer the end of the alley way I had to walk faster and faster so we could get right behind her.

After this we then placed the camera on the floor and directed Liza and Jack to walk past, this was a last minuet shot that we added in with the inspiration from a team member Harry. Watching the shot back I believe this worked very well. We then directed Jack (stalker) to hold the camera and film his hand touching Liza on the shoulder. However Jack did not fully know how to work the camera therefore we had to re do the shot a few times, but after explain to him he fully understood and the shot worked well. Carmen then filmed Liza turning around to see nobody standing behind her, this went smoothly.

I then thought of the idea of Liza walking down the stairs into the subway as there was a bright light shining above the stairs so made the shot bright and more effective. We shot this and it worked very well. I then filmed Liza walking out of the subway at the other end, I climbed up a small hill and took a high angle shot of Liza walking past, this worked very well also and Carmen directed.

The final shot we had to shoot was Liza walking into her house (we used Carmen's house for this). However by this time it was dark and the camera couldn't pick anything up even with night vision on. So we decided to turn on Carmen's bathroom light on which made it brighter however this was not bright enough so we turned Carmen's mums car headlights on to view Liza walking through the front door, this was a very good solution and worked very well.

Overall our third day filming went to plan and was very good. Our actor and actress were also very useful and are great at acting-thanks Jack and Liza!The camera work took us roughly 45 Min's which was good considering the amount of filming that needed to be done.

Second Day Filming

Our second day filming involved just Me and Carmen again. In class we looked at our previous camera shots and decided some were too shaky and were not effective, therefore me and Carmen decided to go back to Carmen's house to re-shoot some of the shots as well as come up with a few extra shots. One of the group members (Alex) suggested that we place the camera inside of the fridge to add a variety of shots, me and Carmen tried this a few times and decided it worked very well. Liza opens the door of the fridge with the camera resting on top of one of the shelves, this way we can see her facial expressions very clearly as they are face on. We also re-filmed when Liza walks into the living room as we wanted the remote controll to the TV on the foot rest but as we was tight for room we placed the remote underneath the TV on a wooden table, this worked very well in my opinion.

We also decided on re-shooting the ending as we felt the first idea did not work very effectively. Our idea is that Liza is texting a friend and the camera is peering over her shoulder watching her write the text. We then see the lights dim as someone turns off the lights and asked Carmen's sister to drag her feet along the floor and scratch on the door to give a scarier feel to our opening. For this shot I was the director whilst Carmen was filming over Liza's shoulder.

I believe the second day filming went to plan and was very good.

Analysis Of Opening Sequence 1- Children Of Men

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCTgUq6hzUk

As I am currently filming my own opening sequence for my horror movie, I decided to look at and Analysed different film opening sequences to help me film my own. In class we analysed the opening sequence of 'Children Of Men'. This film is an adventure/drama/sci-fi made in 2006. However the film was set in 2027 in a messed up world in which humans can no longer reproduce. The film later shows the struggle a pregnant woman goes through to reach a sanctuary at sea where the birth of her child could help change the world. Although we only watched the opening sequence which lasted exactly 2 minuets and 28 seconds, the film appealed to me and I was intrigued to find out more about the story line, so I rented the film out to watch at home.

Firstly I looked at the narrative function of 'Children Of Men'. The film is set in London in 2027, as soon as the film starts we know there are problems in the world as within the first few seconds the news reporters voices are just gerd whilst the credits are rolling.

Next I looked at conventions displayed. I noteced that the two news reporters start reporting the story whilst the screen in blank. They both day a sentance each whilst there is noting shown on the screen, after 39 seconds the credits come up in white which contrast well against the black. I think that they have made it so that nothing is on the screen when the news repoerters start reporting their story so the attention of the audience if fully grabbed. At 54 seconds the blank screen then switches to a scene set in a cafe. The care is very busy, which shows how busy the area is and how people are interested whilst watching the news. Their expressions are upset and confused which straight away sets the mood.

The characters we are introduced to are all of the people inside the cafe, however 1:03 we see a tall man walk into the cafe and push his way through the croud in the cafe to reach the counter at the front. We can tell straight away that he is going to be one of the main characters because after he buys his coffie, the camera follows benid him right untill the end of the opening secuence.

Cinema tography (eg light, colour, MES)- The lighting in this opening secuence are dark and dull colours which tells the audience these people are unhappy and are having a prehaps bad lifestyle. The characters are wearing browns, blacks and greens, and are a vairiety of ages and are both genders. One woman by the front of the shot is holding a dog, I believe this is to show that even though its 2027 animals are still around and are safe and well (which is very reasuring for animal lovers). The lighting of the scene is also very dark, as we reach outside of the cafe the colours are still greys and blacks and the lighting is again very dark.

The camera movement in this scene starts off as a slight high angle shot, (as if the camera is placed just next to the television all the people are watching) so all the custemers in the cafe are looking up at the screen. The camera then flicks up to the televeision where the audience can see whats happening. After this shot the camera then follows the man out of the cafe, the camera seems as if it is held hand as it is shakey. The camera then focuses on a cycelist and pans round to follow him cycle down the road. After this the camera then starts to follow the main character again, Untill when the camera reaches close to him then it follows an arc shape around him to see the other side of the caracter, in which we view him pour alcoohol into his drink he just brought from the cafe.