Production Cards

NAMES

My first production company is called DYNO FILMS. It came from DYNAMIC FILMS, but then I thought I'd change it to DYNO as I think this sounds better!

This is my first attempt at using livetype. I downloaded a different font from online to use, as I didn't think any of the fonts on livetype suited the name DYNAMIC FILMS. Even once I changed the name the font still suits the title very much. 

Here is my first finished production card...

My second production company name (the 'in association with...' company) is PENGUIN PRODUCTIONS. This has mainly come from the fact that I like penguins and it is an alliteration so sounds good.

This is the 'IN ASSOCIATION WITH'.

I'm not finished with the 'PENGUIN PRODCUTIONS' production card yet, as I can not decide whether I like it how it is or not. It is very basic, as I want the attention to go on the dancing penguin I will have to the left of production.

Animatic

MAKING MY ANIMATIC

I had a lot of difficulty taking the photos of my shots for the animatic... as the camera's SD card appeared to not work. This was very time consuming as I had to retake all the photos after trying to make the original SD card work.

Once everything was on the computer I was very pleased with myself how much I managed to get done.

So far I have managed to get the timing right - and it's on the time limit! I have also put the music into the background... however I'm still unsure of when to start the music. I can start it at the begining along with the production names, or I can start it as the opening sequence story actually starts.


Luckily I know a very talented guy who was more than happy to record the music for me! It was just what I wanted and fits in very well with the mood I'm trying to get across to the audience.

Scripting

It took me a while to figure out how to use script buddy, as there was a lot of language on there that I wasn't familiar with. However, once I understood, it has definitely been beneficial in the process of writing my script. It is layed out very clearly and it is easy to understand and read. I have now planned all of my scenes and shots.


Here are screen shots of my 4 page long script:

Story-boarding 2

In yesterday's lesson I managed to complete all my storyboards. 


These are the shots that I think will be the most effect with the audience...

This shot will let the audience see the character for the first time. They will get an understanding of how she lives and who is she. This shot will hopefully also allow the audience to see how I have developed my techniques of filming through the media course... as this shot is planned to be a long, low angle shot.

This shot will allow the audience to get a closer idea of how 'Beth' is going to be living. Her uncle (who she lives with) will be sleep on the couch downstairs with lots of empty alcohol bottles lying around. It will create a sense of sympathy for the girl within the audience. I'm not entirely sure how to do this shot... I'm torn between an over the shoulder shot, or a long shot. During filming I will film both ways and see which one works better.

This shot will introduce the location on my film. This will give the audience a wider understanding of 'Beths' life and the place in which she lives in. It's going to be an extreme long shot so that a lot of things will fit into it, and the audience can see more to do with the location. It will also reflect how small 'Beth' feels in comparison to everyone else... being small and hardly ever noticed.

Story-Boarding

In Friday's lesson I have started to storyboard my opening sequence. I have changed my some of my idea today, as I realised that it seemed more like a trailer than an opening sequence.


My first shot is going to hopefully create a sense of shock in the audience, as the girl is running away from a man crying. The audience will feel confused about what has just happened, but there will be a voice over were she will explain everything.

Analysis of Questionnaire Results

Initial Ideas for my opening sequence

So far, I've found it quite hard to think of a unique idea for my opening sequence that isn't too conventional, but isn't completely different to what the audience will probably expect...



A young girl, dressed innapropriately for her age, is running towards a phone box crying. She is running away from someone she has just sold herself to. When she get to the phonebox she calls someone.

As this is happening, there is a voice over of her introducing herself and why she is where she is. - Her mum passed away, and she doesn't know where her dad is, so she's living with her uncle who is only in his 20's and doesn't really care about her.

It will fade to black, the first few TITLES will come on.

It will then fade out of black to a scene in the past of this girls life.


This scene will then be of her leaving her home for school with her uncle layed asleep on the couch with empty beer bottles all around him. She'll be walking to school and pass some boys from her school who just look and laugh at her.

My Questionnaire

Social Realism Questionnaire

Social Realism is a genre of film such as ‘This is England’ and ‘Kidulthood’

1)           What is your gender? (Please circle)

Male                                              Female

I want to know the gender of my audience so I will get more of an idea of who might watch my opening sequence. If they are mostly boys I'm not going to put pink flowers, for example, into it.

2)           How old are you? (Please circle)

                      less than 20

20-30


31-40

41+

The age range of my audience is very important. I already know roughly what age group my audience will be, but it's good to get a few people to answer the questionnaire who are either side of that age range. And this will help me try to widen my target audience as I might be able to include some things that people outside of my target age range would enjoy.

3)           Do you like Social Realism films? Please state why in the given area below...

Yes                                                 No

……………………...……………………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I want to know why people like, or don't like, social realism films. If people don't like them, I can find out why they don't, then not include this feature in my opening sequence. Similarly, if someone likes this genre they will hopefully say why and I can include this feature.

4)           Have you seen any of the following Social Realism films? (Circle those that apply, maybe more than 1)

This is England                         Kidulthood                         Adulthood

                      Submarine                                 Other

                        4b.)               If ‘other’, please state what…

                                                 ……………………………………………………………………………………….


I'd like to know what other social realism films people have seen, and this can help inspire my ideas.

5)                 Do you enjoy these films? Please state why…

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………....................

This links with question 4, it will give me an idea of why they enjoyed, or didn't enjoy, the film. And I can have these things in mind when thinking of idea's.

6)              What feature of the film would you prefer to be introduced in a Social Realism film first? (Please Circle)

Main Character                        Location                              Other Characters             Other

6b.)               If ‘other’ please state what...

                        …………………………………………………………………………………..


I want to know what to introduce first in my opening sequence... and knowing what my target audience would prefer, will help me choose the most appropriate thing.

7)              What location would you prefer a Social Realism film set in most of the time? (Please circle)

Pub                                Run-down flat                  Run-down house                          

In a field                      Around a town                  Other

7b.)               If ‘other’, please state what...

                        ………………………………………………………………………………………

It would be very helpful to know what my target audience would prefer a social realism film to be mostly set in. The location is a very important part of this genre of film, so I don't want to get it wrong. I've given my audience options to choose from so I can see, not just the most popular option, but how popular the other options are too. I might be able to include more than one location.

8)              What characteristics would you prefer a main character to have? (Please circle
              where applied)

Boy                                 10-15 years                                    Optimistic

Girl                                 16-20 years                                    Pessimistic

                                                                      

                                         21+ years                                           

Before I find actors for my opening sequence, I need to know what my audience would expect the main character to be like - gender, age.

9)             Do you prefer titles being… (Please circle)

      Overlayed                                                                                            Inter-titles

 

Titles are also very important in the opening sequences, so I want to know what people would prefer to see out of an overlayed title or an inter-title.

10)              What storyline would you most enjoy in a Social Realism film? (Please circle)

Drug abuse                 Gang culture                      Domestic violence                         Other

I would like to know what sort of storyline the audience would be expecting. This will help me think of a relevent story that they will enjoy.

11)              Would you like music to be played in the background of the opening sequences? (Please circle)

Yes                                 No

11b.)            If ‘yes’, please state what genre of music

                        ………………………………………………


Music is something I definately need to find out about. I want to know wether I should actually play a backing track through the opening sequence, and if so, what genre?

12)              Would you like a fast paced introduction? (Please circle)

Yes                                 No

12b.)            If ‘no’, please state what speed you like the introduction

                        …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Should I have a fast paced opening sequence? I want to know what my target audience would prefer and expect the pace to be like. Do they like slow paced films where not a lot happens? Or do they want to see a lot in the first few minutes?

Audience Research

Why is audience research important?

To make a film the best it can be, you need to know what will appeal to your audience. There's no point making a film that no one will like. By carrying out research, you can find out what your target audience will like, and what aspects they enjoy in films. Although, you do need to decide on who your target audience are before you do research on them.


A questionnaire is a good method of finding this research, as you can ask open or closed questions to get detailed responses, to help you see what your audience would be expecting. It could also help you find suitable actors and actresses, locations and music.