Location Report

Now having an idea of what we wanted to do, before we could start making the storyboard, we thought it would be a good idea to find our location first, so we knew what we had to work with. Taking inspiration again from 'The Bourne Ultimatum', we had a rough idea of what we pictured our location to look like. We wanted a large office styled building that could pass as an official government property, so it would fit in with our Genre. Fortunatly for us, Chris, one of our group members, proposed we use his dads work place, at News International in Hampton, Peterborough. So when we got the call back saying we could, we went straight over to look around and take pictures: When we first saw the location, it was exactly what we had imagined, and contained all the facilities we needed to film the story we had in mind. The building was very large on the inside and has two levels. The outside is also very large, with a car park at the front and fire exit routes that lead out from the back of the building around to the front. The building also has a lift which we had the idea of using for our fight scene, which was perfect for us, as it is also right next to the stairs, working out brilliant for what we wanted to do. So with the location seen, we can now work on our story, and adapt it around the building.

Research into Existing Opening Sequences

During my first term at school, we looked at some existing opening sequences, to familiarise ourselves with what you typically find. We took a detailed look into the openings of 'Dirty Harry' & 'The Usual Suspects', which I explain furthur in a previous post in my Preliminary Task section.

For our opening sequence, we decided to look at some other existing examples, more suited to our decided Genre. The main opening sequence that we took alot of inspiration from was that of 'The Bourne Ultimatum'. Looking into it we could see a wide range of Camera Shots, Angles & Movements that were effectively used to highten what was going on, especially whenever there is fighting or chasing. This then gave us alot of ideas about what we could do, and different ways in which we could film it. Whilst watching the opening sequence closely, we noticed that during any fighting parts, the camera deliberatly shook to add to the Cinematic Effect, so we decided to adapt the idea and incorporate in into our own opening sequence. One other thing we did think worked well was the Bourne soundtrack, composed by John Powell, as it fitted the genre of the film, and helped to add suspense and build the pace where needed. Below, shows my detailed notes from my analysis of the opening:

Camera Angles/Shots/Movement

• The scene opens with a close-up, tracking shot of Jason's footsteps as he walks in the snow


• There is extremely fast camera movement and panning of the setting


• The camera seems to look as if it has been taken of the tripod and manually held to give a 'shakey' effect


• A wide range of tracking shots are used as Jason escapes from the train, following him throughout


• Camera movement is very fast pace throughout until the end where some monologue is exchanged between charcters


• A close-up is used to show the significance of the running water and how it is linked to his flashback


• During his flashback, where Jason is being tortured, a high-angled shot is used to show that jason is weak and inferior at this point


• An over-the-shoulder shot is used when tracking the officers as the enter at the end of the opening

Mise-En-Scene

• The setting is displayed in text at the start of the opening as being in Moscow, Russia


• Police Officers after Jason are talking in russian (translated at the bottom in subtitles), making the location/setting believable


• All of the main characters and backing actors costumes are authentic, with all of them wearing long coats and winter clothing, matching the continuity of the snowy weather


• The scene is set at night and is very dark


• The chemist or drugs store Jason breaks into is clearly identified by the audience because of the worldwidely used green cross logo


• During the opening Jason has a shot wound to his shoulder, this is apparent and more realistic through the use of make-up and artificial blood

Sound

• At the start of the opening when the location text is displayed, a Non-Diagetic typing sound is played


• John Powell's - Berlin Foot Chase is the soundtrack played at the start of the opening, the music is fast pace and played by a bouble bass, which gives of a sound that builds the tension


• There is alot of shouting coming from the Officers to show panic


• A Non-Diagetic breaking sound is used as Jason jumps of the moving train


• When Jason is about to have his flashback, the sound changes dramatically, the music dies down into a slow drum beat, then nothing and the water coming from the tap is really loud and made to echo


• Voice-overs are widely used during his flashback


• The sound of Jason cocking the handgun is intensified to give of a sense of danger

Editing

• When Jason is trying to evade the police, the action is very quick pace and therefore quick cuts are used between each shot


• The camera zooms in to focus of the green cross medical symbol


• During the flashback, crossfades are used between shots


• Also throughout the flashback, most of the images are blurred, and the screen is purposely made to be really white around the outer edges, with flashing lights added also in the post production stage.


• During the fighting scene, the camera shots are quickly cut from one to another, juxtaposed to that of the scene where the officer is pleading for his life; shots in this scene are held for longer due to dialogue, this is because the director wants the audience to listen.

Typical Film Conventions

Adventure

• Exciting storylines with new experiences


• Exotic locations/settings


• Typically contain searches or expeditions

Comedies

• Light-hearted plots


• Designed to amuse the audience and provoke laughter


• This is done by exaggerating situations, actions, relationships, languages and characters

Drama

• Drama's usually have serious storylines or plots


• Characters, settings and stories are portrayed as being realistic life situations


• Drama's tend to use minimum effects and rely solely on acting

Horror

• Designed to frighten and shock the audience aswell as being entertaining


• They tend to captivate the dark side of life


• Things typically found within horrors are blood, death, murder, villains, victims, isolated settings, monsters, weapons, darkness, violence, gore and chasing
  

Typical Conventions found within our Genre:

Action

• The battle between good and evil/justice and injustice, and how good always triumphs over evil


• How the crime is always the core of the narrative


• The use of fast/up-tempo music to create tension or suspense


• The growing sense of threat/danger and the excitement of pursuit


• Sharp changes of camera angles to build excitement and pace (usually found during fight or chase scenes within action films)


• The use of lighting used, to create shadows which creates a tone of mystery and uncertainty

These are just typical conventions found within action films. We will work to include all of these within our opening to help the audience distinguish the genre of our film opening.

180 Degree Rule

The 180 Degree Rule is a basic imperative when filming which means two people in the same room/scene always have the same left-right relationship to each other. This is avoid disorientation and confusion for the audience. The picture belows show an imaginary axis in which the camera ins't allowed to pass over. This works the same way if a single person is walking, it is confusing if you are filming them from one side, walking left to right, cut to the other side, which looks as if they walking right to left. A shot taken from the opposite side is called a reverse angle.

Synopsis/Proposals

After being given the task to create our own film Opening Sequence, we decided the first thing to do was sit down as a group and talk about what we wanted to do. We talked about every part of it from Genre, to storylines and plots, location ideas and characters. After an extensive discussion, we all agreed on an Action genre. Due to myself and other members of our group being FreeRunners, we had the idea of incorporating our skills into the opening. That would also mean that we would all be starring in the opening, which we agreed was a good idea, simply because it gave us a chance to perform, as well as film the parts we wern't in, making the experience the same for everyone in our group. With all that in mind, we had to decide on what the storyline was going to be, and where we would film it.....

Introduction

After having completed my Preliminary Task and gaining some experience of the official task in hand, me and my group now need to start planning for our own film opening. The next load of posts will explain step by step how we going to do this, explaining aspects of our research into existing film openings, Genre Codes and Conventions, our Synopsis and proposals, the location report, a character representation analysis aswell as Storyboards & Shooting Scripts.