Completed Storyboard

HERE IS THE STORYBOARD FOR OUR PRELIMINARY TASK!!! It is on order so look through it if you wish.

Another MAX drew a rough sketch of each character's actions, Andreas filled in the short description and I did the sound design. This means that we should be able to start filming rather soon. All we need now is a camera and freedom and we're away.

I also came up with the though that all this is for a simple two minute film. I can't imagine how long it takes to draw each sketch of a blockbuster like Guardians of the Galaxy, with short descriptions and sound design. I respect film planners more knowing how much work is simply put into planning. I once believed it was "I WROTE A SCRIPT LET'S GO!!!" but now I see that it takes months, even after the script is complete, just to get a rough feel of how the film will look.

This course seems really beneficial to the experiences of film-making. I hope I get to use these skills more in the future.

Also I noticed that for short thrillers, and thrillers in general, there doesn't seem to be the need for much music. It's all simply made up of a few string patterns to build up tension and boosting the volume of real sounds like a punch or footsteps, just to add to the atmosphere.

A good example would be in the film "Before I Go To Sleep". There was a scene that seemed like it would end with happiness but the guy slapped the girl really unexpectedly, and the volume of the slap was a lot louder than it would sound normally, which really broke the direction the scene seemed to be travelling in beforehand. 

There is a lot more work and planning than I first thought in these movies.

I will not be so arrogant again.

Preliminary Task

WE HAVE BEEN SET A TASK!!!
Our "practice" film, if you will, has been set as a task and it has a deadline of a few weeks.
Basically, we need to show someone walking into a room and engaging in dialogue before something happens and the film ends. It sounds really boring but we have come up with some great ideas.
The main focus, however, is to be able to use a range of different camera shots and some new techniques we can use.
Firstly, we used an EXTREME CLOSE UP (ECU). This is mainly used to show minute details of a character's face, like a tear or an expression.







Next we use the rule of thirds. You can take such pictures by using the guide lines (a grid on the camera display) and their "intersection points", where the grid lines meet. It's a better way of framing a shot so you know the exact position of an object or person. This is used to show one character stood in the same position each time the camera cuts to him, and is a view on the exact same object from a different angle. We would have used guide lines to make straighter and more effective photos but our camera was very technologically advanced in many ways than we could figure out.

Next, we tried an establishing shot, used to show the audience where the film mainly takes place, like New York or Chicago

Next, we tried a Low Angled Shot. This can be used to make a person look more intimidating, in this case, the two antagonists look bigger, and scarier. In a way.

Next, we tried a mid shot of the protagonist looking into the distance. This can be used to show more body language of the character and it shows the audience how comfortable they are in their surroundings.

Finally, we tried a line shot. This draws the audience's eye towards the distance to where the characters are running. This can be effective and draw attention to the location so that it will be more iconic. In this example, the protagonist is running towards the trees and bushes to hide from her chaser, the antagonist.

Introductions

Hello.
My name is Max Bradbury.
I am a new Media Studies student for 2014.
This will be my introductory blog, explaining my interest and/or accomplishments in general media or technology.

I would say, to start, that all of my previous experience has come from attempting to use stop-motion animation with a simple camera to try and create a great epic that lasted for some time. But I failed at that because I had no idea how to properly make such a film. I've been planning for some time but have never managed a successful filming. I am hoping that Media Studies opens new doors for me as film and TV are where some of my greatest interests lie.

I have always had a great interest in watching film and TV. More recent examples of this would be watching good Science-Fiction projects, such as Star Wars, Land of the Lost (2012) and the TV series "The 100" (2014). When I watch such films, including ones from other genres, I like to get entirely involved in the story to make sure that it makes all of the sense it tries to have. If there are plot-holes or certain things that I believe that would make more sense or would have been more effective, I openly complain about it or express annoyance, because it takes me out of the experience the film or show has given me. There are films that I watch that I am more lenient to, as I think they do the job they want to do and deliver the story they wanted to a very good extent. A great example of this would be the new film "How To Train Your Dragon 2". I adore this film. The story has been the simplest but most gripping I have seen in a long time. The animation is stunning and there are times I felt like I was just there with the characters, and all of this mixed with the music just made the most enjoyable film I have seen in so long.

I really get involved in movies, if you haven't noticed.

Alongside my interest in Media and how films are made, I write stories and plot scripts for short and feature films and I also love creating music that displays the emotions that match what happens in film and TV. One project I have set aside to do is to re-write the music to the Transformers trilogy (2007 to 2011). I wanted to do this because even though the music is brilliant, I wanted to try and re-create it to practice writing for movies without actually writing for a new movie and making myself look like a fool. Below is my official YouTube Channel. Here I have started posting music that have created by myself, and I hope to do a lot more in the future. Check it out if you are interested.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC74a2lOE_cPibJDkcU8IU3w

I really look forward to writing and creating my two minute introduction a thriller, which we will eventually complete after all the planning. I am also looking forward to creating the suspense with music and sound effects. However, I get a little camera shy so I will have to overcome this in order to get a good grade in this course, but having performed in front of a camera and a live audience for my final drama scripting for my GCSE's, I believe that I can do really well.

The thriller in question is simply an introduction, testing our film-making skills and how well we can make something effective. Beside this, we are studying how to recognise different camera shot and how media is used in today's world, and even studying how effective media is in current shows like "Utopia".

I am really looking forward to making the thriller and studying everything we will be. It seems really interesting.

Wish me luck ^-^
Max