Pitch presentation for our film.

Pitch Presentation

View more presentations from kyrabouttell.

Audience Research.

Modern day Goldilocks, as told by only words.

Fairy Tale from Kori Dyer on Vimeo.

Classic Cinderella story, as told in a short film.

Cinderella from Maddy Shapiro on Vimeo.

Short film based on the tale of Cinderella.

Cinderella from Chris Armstrong on Vimeo.

Synopsis of our short film.

Interview 1.

Do's and Dont's of Review Writing

What makes a good review?

• Good exciting layout
• Enticing pictures
• Bold fonts
• Main highlighted points
• Star ratings
• Personal views
• Actual good review of the film
• Informal so it's easier to relate to
  
• Comparisons of similar films
• Predicted Interest Curves, to make it more exciting
• Not giving away to much of the plot
• Small credits
• Short, basic outline of the story

What makes a bad review?

• A full detailed synopsis meaning you know the ending of the film
• Basic layout
  
• Loads of credits
• Unnecessary information
• A small simple picture
• No personal views
• More like a directory than a film review
  

Film Magazines and Review Writing

Film Review Magazines

Empire Magazine

Sight & Sound

DVD Review

Total Film

Sight & Sound – Wild Child Review

· Gives you the synopsis and an overview of the film, so you know the ending of the film.

· Written more formally and is addressed to an older audience.

· Very critical in the way it is written.

· Only uses a small picture showing the review is more important.

· Doesn’t give much space for the actual review as the credits, picture etc take up much of the room, the credits take up most of the room so it's more like a directory.

Total Film – The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Review

· Uses a large image, visually grabbing your attention straight away. The picture is also of an action scene but it doesn’t give away much.

· Gives it an overall rating using stars.

· More visually appealing in the way it’s used the fonts and spacing etc.

· More informal so it can relate to the younger audience more.

· Highlights key points within the film like ‘What’s really missing is a truly boo-able baddie’.

· Compares it to other films out there so the audience will know if it’s the right genre for them.

· Gives it a ‘Predicted Interest Curve’, which is enticing as you hear the basic outline and what’s exciting but it doesn’t give away the full plot.

· Also gives a small amount of credits, as most people in the age range it’s focussing on don’t really care about things like that.

What Makes a Good Short?

An Exciting & Original Idea
Original ideas are not easy to come-by but a good way of avoiding clichéd ideas is to watch lots of other short films to gain inspiration, look out for any trends and stay clear of them. Even if your idea isn't completely original try to look at the subject matter from a different angle or using a different style/technique.

A Strong Script
A good script is key to narrative-based short films and in many ways it's harder to write a short than a feature because you need to condense your story and develop your characters in a very short space of time. All too often films are let down by weak, overwritten or underdeveloped scripts. Before investing money, time and effort into shooting your film, it's a good idea to test your script out on friends and strangers because friends usually avoid offending you.

Good Acting
Unless your friends are actors or demonstrate acting talent such as 'Performing Arts', it's a good idea to avoid casting them in your film. Even one bad actor in a film can really let it down and destroy the viewer's belief in the reality that your film is seeking to create. Try to go from a different approach.

Strong Beginning
Most programmers/distributors will be inundated with submissions and so your film has to grab their attention from the very first shot. The harsh reality is that if your film doesn't pique their interest within the first two minutes, in all likelihood they may not sit through it till the end.

Avoid Repetition & Punchline Twists
Whilst sometimes a repetitive scene can be used for comedy/dramatic effect, if you are not careful it can end up being repetitive and predictable. Comedy is notoriously difficult to pull off in short films – if you're looking to make humorous shorts then it's a good idea to test your idea on an audience as people may not understand your humour.

Exciting New Techniques & Style
Even an average plot can be made intriguing by an exciting new technique or style - whether it be a new kind of animation, camera work or art direction. Try experimenting and developing your own style.

Character Profiles: Binary opposites

Health and Safety

Using the redheads

-Extremely fragile: when transporting use the bag and padding. Do not knock them, two people should carry them at all times

-Hot!: take extreme care when handling the lights - they get very hot

-Do not cover them with anything

-Do not look directly into the lighting

-Switch off when not in use

-The bulbs are very expensive and break very easily, extreme care should be taken

-Take down cables.

A simple guide to lighting

Three Point Lighting:-

Back Light: The backlight is used to provide separation from your subject and the background.

Key Light: Primary light source. It provides a base light for your subject.

Fill Light: The Fill Light provides some fill into the shadow area of your subject to balance out contrast created by the Key Light.

Backlit Subjects:

-Cause: light source behind subject

-Effect: Silhouette or aura.

High Key Lighting:

-Cause: Fully-lit sources from all directions

-Effect: A bright, clear subject.

Low Key Lighting:

-Cause: fewer sources of light

-Effect: less area lit up, creates shadows.

Ambient Light:

-Cause: gentle lights, part of the set

-Effect: calm, warm, unobstructive, gentle lit subjects.

Hard Light:

-Cause: light source directly on subject

-Effect: strong bold images but also shadows, good for shooting villains.

Filters:

-Cause: filters fitted to lens(or altered in editing process) - gels

-Effects: alteration to colour of overall shot

Short Film review: 'I'm Here' by Spike Jonze

I'm Here by Spike Jonze intrigued and interested me because Spike used the unusual technique of using a partially animated skill to create the robots but it also had a serious feel towards it. The animated structure to it made it feel like it would be quite childish but the way the robots were represented in a modern society made it feel very mature but moving at the same time.

The emotion that was portrayed throughout the robot's feelings made me fascinated by the short film, I felt like I wanted to watch it over and over again. It was a unique portrayal of love within society portrayed through the future development of robots and technology. The close ups of the emotions in the main parts were moving, they made you feel and relate to them; like you were living the story that was going on. The story followed a male robot living life as an outcast in future society, and as he went through life trying to be normal we experienced all aspects of his life with him, following him through work, abuse but mainly love. When he met the female robot the mood enlightened and we felt this through the music/lighting/techniques etc as he was in a happier mood, so the rest of the film turned to a happier mood to display it.

It was also ironic that he felt human emotions as he was a robot and robots are usually expected to feel no emotions whatsoever, which made it very intriguing.

Genre

What is meant by the term 'genre' ?
-Genre is defined as "a class or category of artistic endeavour having a particularform, content, technique, or the like: the genre of epicpoetry; the genre of symphonic music." which is said by 'http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/genre'.
Give one example of a film genre and list typical codes and conventions for that genre.

-Romance as a genre is very popular within the film industry, and typical codes and conventions for this would be the idea of the boy meets girl love story is typical of the genre. Also the films are usually aimed at women of all ages as they are most likely to understand and relate to it. Usually has the sub-genre, for example 'rom-coms'.

Narrative Ideas:- Shark Model

The shark model/the narrative is split up into three parts, the bite, the body and the tail. (films that use the shark model include The Descent, Hangover and From Dusk till Dawn)

The Bite:- Within the first five minutes of the film, the aim of it is to immediately hook the audience in. For example if it was a horror film, then something scary would happen straight away to catch your attention.

The Body:- This is the main story line within the film.

The Tail:- This is where it all comes together and ties up everything, giving all the answers and ending the story.

Devising an idea with a clear narrative structure

What generic conventions are used to make the horror element clear?

Blood,

Murderer - Chris

Weapon - Pen knife

Setting - in the woods, on a camp-out because they break down going to a party.

Characters:-

Paris- holds a chihuahua called Princess, both wear pink, blonde hair with extensions in, and a face full of make up, also with cleavage on show, bit of a blonde bimbo.

Chris - Paris' boyfriend, jock, likes to show off his muscles, wears vests, at every opportunity he takes his top off, likes to think he's brave and the leader, very jealous. (hiding something)

Dwayne - black hunk, having a fling with Paris, very funny, always joking, best friends with Chris, likes to sleep around a lot.

Whitney - Paris' best friend, not as dozy as Paris but kind of intelligent, thinks about things more, black girl, goes out with Dwayne.

Mary - asian girl, pretty but doesn't get the boys, is very intelligent, sensible, always thinks things through too much.

Story-

Five friends going to a party, but the car breaks down on the freeway in the middle of nowhere, it's raining and dark, they are forced to camp out in the nearby woods and decide to have a party with the alcohol they were taking to the actual party.

In the party when people have been drinking, Paris is becoming too close with Dwayne when no one notices(except Chris..). Mary and Whitney need the toilet so they go into the woods to go, Chris pretends to go 'get more firewood' leaving Dwayne and Paris together alone.

When Mary and Whitney return they see Dwayne and Paris getting too close and decide to say something to them, Paris and Dwayne start arguing with them and Whitney and Mary decide to go sleep in the car, fuming at them. Dwayne follows trying to win Whitney back leaving Paris alone, later on Chris doesn't return.

Screams from the woods occur causing Whitney, Mary and Dwayne return to Paris' protection, when they return her and Princess are lying dead on the floor in a pool of blood.

Smeared on the side of the tent is the words 'You're next' in blood. Dwayne starts shouting, Chris returns and starts shouting and crying over Paris, then he goes away saying he's going to try and fix the car so they can get help.

Dwayne follows behind, so the girls follow, the girls walk forward;scared of the woods and they look back and Dwayne is holding his stomach which is full of blood and knife wounds, he then falls down dead. Whitney and Mary run to the car frantically where Chris is waiting for them, asking if they're safe. Whitney notices a knife covered with blood in Chris' back pocket and confronts him, in a massive argument whilst Mary is screaming, he kills her.

Leaving Mary and Chris alone, he goes for her next, shouting at her, she gets into the car, and turns on the engine, noticing that the car had never broke down, Chris is attempting to get in, smashing the windows and screaming, she then runs him over and speeds off into the distance not knowing if he was alive or not..

Film Posters

Eclipse:-

From the film poster we can see it's going to be a darker story because of the dark tones and background etc so it shows that there is going to be a more dramatic turn to the story. You can also see that there is going to be rivalry between the two men for the main girl in the centre, the two men also look like they have more to them than they are letting on; because they have different skin tones, different in size, muscle etc. that they could have a secret that they're hiding. The girl looks in control of both of them because she is in main focus and that she's dominating the picture making them look smaller and less powerful than her. The stance of each character makes it look like a love triangle, like the girl doesn't know which boy to choose for her own good.

Film Posters

Remember Me:-

Straight away from the film poster we can see that it is going to be a love story because of the fact it has a couple/relationship in main focus. The man and woman are both smiling and embracing so we automatically see that they are in love with one another. We also notice that it's in black and white, which could show that there is a more dramatic turn of events going to occur, which also plays upon the title of the actual film 'Remember Me'. The tag line says 'live in the moments' which automatically gives you the signal that a death or tragedy is going to happen and spoil the happiness of the couple. So the film posters gives us the outline of the film and that the plot is going to consist of tragedy but it is also mainly a romance film and it is going to entail loads of heartache.

Film Posters

Twilight:-

From this film poster we see that it's definitely going to be a love story judging by the girl and the boy being so close to each other. We can also tell the boy is going to play a more powerful part as he is towering over the girl in a protective stance. We see the girl in a vulnerable position and judging by her kind/warm expression on her face we can see that she is smitten with this boy and that she'd do anything for him and vice versa. The boys expression is much more serious and aggressive so we automatically know he is hiding something thats keeping him a bit more reserved from being with the girl. We can tell that they are going to be together through everything that happens because of the fact they are so close and that she has her hand on his heart signalling that they are meant to be together. From the poster we can also tell that it's going to be a dark story because of the black background and all of the dark shades within the picture.