Filming Schedule

I have created a group on Facebook called the "Short Film Cast" which includes all the cast members so that we can contact them easily, as you can see on the right. Everyone has Facebook so it is easily accessible and they can keep up to date with what is going on.  In addition, I have made a post on the group to explain that we need to know the available dates of each of the cast members so that we can film during the half term within a few days and we will be prepared to edit as soon as we get back. I already have an idea of filming all the Brighton scenes in one day on Friday as it is the end of the week where we can  bring all the filming together. The next two locations will need to be filmed on separate days as one is in Burgess Hill and the other in Reigate so we will need to get some transport to and from the location. In addition, the cast members all live in a similar area such as Burgess Hill and Crawley which both have train stations and a few drive too. I have also ensured that the main characters such as J and The Inspector are available for the whole week because they are in the majority of the scenes and we need them to be free in case we need to film another shot again. This may happen because we could look back and not be happy with the shot, as we want to get the best grade possible.In order to be even more organised, I have messaged all the actors and told them what their role is, what is expected and what they need to wear. I have also posted costumes on the group page so that everyone can see them easily and there are no excuses.

Within the next few days, I am going to create a few more posts to the group including the schedule with times and locations. I have got everyone's phone number too so I can ring them or text if we have a change of plan, hopefully it will all go to plan. Specifically, I have spoken to the police officers as their job is very important in creating a realistic atmosphere and in creating a police office. They will not be wearing typical Police Officer costumes as we would expect but they will be wearing smart clothing such as suits and pencil skirts.

Title for Exhibit J

My idea for the colour and font of our title for 'Exhibit J'

-Gothic font

-Dark red (like blood)

*Sofia Here*

I have researched different thriller openings and the titles they use. Firstly, I have looked at "The Open Door" which is an award winning short thriller film by Dan Allen. As you can see on the right, a black background is used which is common within this genre because it portrays a sense of mystery and danger. In addition, white font shows that there are binary opposites throughout a short film to create a complex narrative to interest the audience. The text is simple yet effective as it leaves lots to the imagination. It seems as though it has an old fashioned twist as well as a modern twist which allows it to stand out from the black background.
 
However, in this short thriller film we can see that the text is positioned on top of a video which is quite common within films as it establishes the scene and the environment. The text is bold, large and clear so that the audience are drawn to it. Again, it is white which is synonymous of the genre and conforms to the expectations and conventions of thriller. 

On the other hand, this title is black, small and in lower case lettering which is quite unusual as it may be quite difficult to see. It is also placed on the left hand side of the frame as the  left corner gets the attention first. The bright background illuminates the text making it catch the viewers eyes.
 

Lighting Experiments

This 45 second film shows us experiment with low key lighting, a little bit of regular lighting and shadows. I (Greg) also used this time in editing to work on some editing techniques, like video transitions, audio fade, and some picture-in-picture.

J is an enigmatic character, so our work with shadows and low key lighting will help add enigma to his character. The use of shadows will keep what J looks like hidden for most of the film.

The regular lighting set up will be used for most of the shots with the detective.

Change Of Title And Murderer

Discussion About Title And Villain

Within  the last few days, we have decided to change the title of our short film and there are many different reasons for this. Firstly, the title of "The Ripper" was not original enough, I want the audience to question the title and leave them thinking about what it means so that they want to watch the film. In addition, it is obvious who the main villain is as it gives it away so I came up with an idea that was not obvious and connected to the idea of the police environment and the leading Inspector Neeson. I have discussed with the others in the group about the name "Exhibit J" and they all agreed and really liked the idea as you can see in the screenshots below. We have created a group chat so that we can contact each other easily and let one another know if there has been a problem etc. The title links to a police environment as evidence is described as "Exhibit A" or "Exhibit B" so it sounds professional and sophisticated. In addition, the name of the villain originally was called "Jack The Ripper" but that was easy for the audience as there was no enigma or mystery around the name. Everyone knows who the historic figure is and we immediately are aware that he was never found and he murdered his victims in a certain way. I took this into consideration and decided of a simple, memorable name of "J." The letter is exposed later in the short film when the Inspector connects the dots which make a "J" because of the locations that he has been to which all lead to the last scene where the Inspector finally works out where "J" will strike again. In addition, the name is still slightly connected with the idea of Jack The Ripper so it is not completely irrelevant or meaningless. 

Our task is to create a 5 minute long short film. This is challenging as we have a very complex story and many locations to include, we cannot rush it as it needs to have a clear narrative. When it comes to filming we need to make sure that we choose the best scenes to include so we do not use extra shots that aren't included in our storyboard. Also, when it comes to editing, the group needs to ensure that we are strict  with the timing and we need to include the best and most effective shots.

I have asked some of our target audience about the new title and name and here is the feedback I received:

Bethany - "I really like the new name of the villain because it is very mysterious and I want to find out who J is. I also think that the title is effective and I will definitely remember it."

Kyle - "The name "J" is simple but really effective because it can mean absolutely anything which makes the audience wonder what it stands for. The title is really clever and connects with the name of the villain."

Finn - "Thriller is my favourite genre of film because it really grabs the audience so I think that the name is very original and does not give away who the villain is. The name of the villain shows that he  is a copy cat of the real Jack The Ripper but is a modern interpretation."

 

Animatic 2

The quality is not great but in this Animatic we are discussing each shot, camera angles we are going to use , what is going to happen in each and how long they are.

The Cast!

KYLE WEST AS J
The main character is going to be based on the murderer Jack The Ripper, he is called "J." We have recently changed the name of the character which is explained on another post.  He will be a modern interpretation of this character  to show that he is replicating the killer and is bringing the story back to life. We will use many close up shots to show his face being covered in order to create enigma and a tense atmosphere. Dark lighting will be used as well as low key lighting which we have presented in another post where we have experimented with different techniques to create the most effective short film.

CALLUM HORNCASTLE AS INSPECTOR JAMES NEESON
Inspector Neeson is the other main character of the short film who will be taking control of this case. We will create a close connection with the Inspector as he is trying to help finally find the murderer. Many long shots will be used as well as quick paced shots to build suspense and anxiety.

 

All the police officers will have vital roles within the short film as they will be used to create a professional and believable atmosphere for the audience. They will mainly work in the office to support the Inspector and to show that there is a whole team working on this case. Also, the police officers will hold quite a vital role in making sure our short film is realistic and they represent conventions of the thriller genre. 

JOSH SQUIRE AS POLICE OFFICER 1 

KIERAN EKE AS POLICE OFFICER 2

SIMEON COUSINS AS POLICE OFFICER 3

OLIVER CHARLTON AS POLICE OFFICER 4

CHARLOTTE FRENCH AS POLICE OFFICER 5

The reason why I have chosen a female police officer is to show the increase in strong female characters within the film industry. Also, I believe that when we come to analyse our short film we can thoroughly talk about representation and how female characters can have important roles to show the hierarchy between characters. Also, many females can connect with the idea of a strong, independent role who many can look up to.

 

LUCA SHEPHERD AS POLICE OFFICER 6

There are four victims who who will be shown in four different locations during out short film. One will be under Brighton Pier, Brighton lanes, Reigate location and an ally in Burgess Hill. We will include many close ups of these characters we want to see the wound on their necks and to see their dead faces.  

KIRSTEN WEST AS VICTIM 1

Victim 1 will be in the first scene, under Brighton Pier.

ALISHA PRODGER AS VICTIM 2
Victim 2 will be in the Burgess Hill alleyway where it will be dark and gloomy to create a tense atmosphere.

HARRIET BRUMPTON AS VICTIM 3

Victim 3 will be based in Brighton, in the lanes.

KEIRA SLIJPER AS VICTIM 4
Victim 4 will be in the last scene in Reigate which in an important scene and brings the whole film to a dramatic end.

Low Key Lighting test

*Sofia Here*
Greg and Callum took some test shots of lighting techniques, there is a video on another blog post which shows them in more detail. However, I believe that this shot is very effective as the low key lighting really establishes the concept of thriller as it creates an eerie atmosphere. In addition, we can use this technique in our short film to show the divide in personality or characters because it is an effective way of hiding someones identity which creates enigma around the character. This technique will be especially useful when we film the murderer called "J" because he has a hidden identity and we need to ensure that the audience fear the character which can be created by lighting and many other techniques. Also, the black background surrounding Callum, really draws the attention to his face and his facial expression which is a vital part of a scene. We can tell a lot from a persons facial expressions and eye contact.

Talking About Characters 2

To make our film as realistic as can be, we need to look at our characters in depth to prevent them from becoming cardboard characters, or Mary Sues.
To help make this even more realistic, I have created back-stories for the characters to be implemented into the sub-text to help with the actors to bond with the characters.

Jack The Ripper
The Ripper, while he is unknown and cannot be understood to an extent, it is still very clear and evident that he is immoral, and has no sympathy for his victims, nor their families.
From this small piece of information, there can be suggestions behind The Ripper's reasons for these killings; perhaps an abusive childhood that led him to become mentally unstable? Or maybe his mother was a prostitute who was murdered, and he went on to kill prostitutes out of in-direct revenge?
The possibilities are endless, but still interesting to look at with depth.

Detective James Neeson
James Neeson is an outstanding detective, and is the head of his string of detectives; he is very similar to Sherlock Holmes in regards to his passion for being a detective. From a young age he was always passionate about detectives and their styles in solving mysteries. Being a middle child he was neglected in his family, leaving him to become rather anti-social, the time he had to himself was spent reading books and solving online riddles. Regardless of his anti-social nature, he was a kind boy and found love early at his high school, he was a passionate lover, and a lovable character.
After fulfilling his dream of becoming a detective, he became fixated on his job and quickly became the best detective the Metropolitan Police Force had ever seen.
However, his passion for his job had left his fiancee alone most days and nights, and she soon left him.
Since then, detective Neeson has been left with nothing but his job.
While unhappy, he has become even more passionate about his detective duties, as it is now all he has.

Casting

We want our film to be the absolute best it can be, which can only be done with good actors.
Thankfully we have a wide range of talented theatre students with a passion for acting that we will choose for our characters.

Jack the Ripper - Kyle West

Detective Neeson - Callum Horncastle

Detective #2 - Greg Ivan Bicknell

Forensic Scientist - TBA

Police officers - TBA

Animatic 1

Music Ideas For "The Ripper."

Music

For our short film I believe that we should include slow, orchestral music which builds up to create the disruption to the equilibrium. Instruments such as violins, piano and other string instruments as they are synonymous of the thriller genre. Firstly, the dark scenes with Jack The Ripper walking through several alleyways we will include tension building music to create enigma around the character and to cause the audience to fear Jack. However, during the scenes in the police office we will not be including music as we will focus on the dialogue from the characters which will be essential for the short film. Most of the murder scenes will include music as using music is a great way to build suspense and to create emotions within the audience. In addition, the chase scene towards the end will need a soundtrack with a good beat as it needs to create an unnerving atmosphere.  I have looked at various royalty free website such as Incomptech, ccMixter, PacDV, Public Domain 4U, SoundCloud and Moby Gratis. 

INCOMPTECH

BLACK VORTEX

CONTROLLED CHAOS

SATIATE STRINGS

MEDUSA
Moby Gratis

RADIO STATION

STOCK RADIO
Bensound

SAD DAY

OFELIAS DREAM

NEW DAWN

Ideas for Foleys

Female Scream

Footsteps (beach)

Creaking door

Stabbing

Door shut

Camera flash

We can also use the loops on Garageband to find anymore foleys we may need.

These are some basic ideas. We will have a better idea of what foleys we will need after filming.

Location idea in Burgess Hill

I went for a walk through Burgess Hill town at night and saw a great chance to take a photo of this shot. As you can see, the church is lit up while the surroundings are dark and mysterious. Also, grave stones can be seen which add enigma to the scene and it creates a sense of immortality. When taking this photo, I thought it could be a possible location for "The Ripper" as it included conventions of the thriller genre such as the location, lighting, symbols and colouring. We were thinking of using a church as a location. Even if we do not use this we can learn a lot from this shot as the lighting really captures the mood.

Audience Feedback

During my audience feedback stage, I came up with a few questions to ask audience members who are of the age of our target audience. So, I asked people from college that I knew would give me honest answers to help us with creating our short film. I thought that putting the audience feedback in a video would make it more interesting to watch so the blog was not full of text which can be quite boring to read. I received some great feedback which has really helped the group shape and change some of our ideas. For instance, the question based on a costume for Jack the Ripper gave us the idea of using a long black coat as we were not too sure what he should wear. Furthermore, everyone seemed to like the title "The Ripper" as it is short and sweet and easy to remember. Also, it informs the audience about what the short film is going to be based on and the right, specific audience will want to watch it. The question about the conventions of the thriller genre and expectations is useful as we want to know what our audience wants to see as it is very important in creating a successful and thrilling short film.

Jack The Ripper found?

Doing some research for inspiration, I found an interesting post online.
A forensic scientist claims to have figured out who Jack was.
I'm not convinced, but it's a very interesting article.

Creating the storyboard!

Fake Wound Tutorial

We have researched many fake wound tutorials on Youtube such as the one we posted earlier in the blog. Callum and I thought it would be a great idea to create our own tutorial as it will show many techniques such as camera shots and editing. It took a while to decide where to film as there are a lack of places in college that are quiet so we had to film in various places such as the stairway and a classroom. It was great practice for when we film our short film because we now know what works and what doesn't such as the red ink where we will be using fake blood instead. There are many stages to go through  when creating a fake wound and in the tutorial we have taken you through it step by step to make it easy to follow and  informative.

Talking About Characters

Equipment

A list of all the equipment we will need for filming:

• 1 camcorder (for filming)
• 1 tripod (for keeping the camera stable while filming)
• 1 or 2 lights (with orange gels to represent street lights)
• 1 or 2 lapel microphones (for recording dialogue)

 

 Note: Do NOT use the camcorder for recording audio. While the camcorder can record audio, it's not very good audio quality, especially if we film on a windy day. For better audio quality, we should use the lapel mics.

Ripper Out! News Headline Today!

I saw this headline today of "Ripper Out" and I just thought it is a really effective headline as it really stands out and grabs the audience. The bold lettering could be used for our title sequence in the short film we are doing which is based on the story of Jack The Ripper. The black and white colours are binary opposites but work well together in creating a mysterious yet shocking text.