During the first few weeks of starting the AS media studies course, we were set a preliminary coursework task to introduce us to using the camera equipment and the editing software. To make things easier, we were given set groups in which we had to work. This helped us realise whether or not as individuals, it would benefit us more if we worked in a group and shared the work load, or worked by ourselves and had complete control over what we did during our coursework film project. I feel that this task (preliminary) didn’t turn out as well as I would have wanted it too. I was the camera man for the task and as the camera man, it was my fault when the 180 degree was broken. However, I am glad that I made this mistake when I did, as I knew from then on that I wouldn’t make it again in my film project.
To start this project, I originally started to work with a partner, unfortunately, this didn’t turn out for the best, as we argued over many things during planning, and therefore decided to work separately. Firstly, whilst researching and choosing the genre, we looked at comedy films, hoping that we could make a funny 2 minute opening to a comedy film. However, due to the split in group, I decided against this idea and chose to research films under the genre of thrillers. I noticed in many of these genre’s, that the settings were in a dark disused place in which someone either finds or is a part of something that they shouldn’t be. The music appeared to be low and very weary, with a build up in suspense and the title credits were cleverly editing. They were quick and jumpy. When I chose this genre, I wanted to recreate this effect in my title credits.
One of the main films i researched for this tastk was Dont Look Now, a film made in 1973 which was directed by Nicolas Roeg. The storyline was written by Daphne Du Maurier and screenplay by Allan Scott. The film is about a couple who’s daughter drowns in a pond near their house. After her death, they move to Venice where they meet a women who claims to be a psychic. She insists that she sees the spirit of their dead daughter. The father of the daughter, John, resists the idea as he himself has his own visions of his daughter walking the streets in her red coat that she drowned in.
It is a cripping thriller film which i really enjoyed. This is what inspired me for the credits of my film. (the photos falling onto the artbook). This is because during the opening minutes of the film, John is looking at slides through a microscope whilst the credits are shown. I thought it had an effective feel and look to it, and i wanted to do something similar, however different at the same time.
One way in which I researched within my target audience was through a questionnaire which I produced and handed out to 20 people about thriller films and what my target audience thought about the genre and what it stood for. I looked at the responses which I got for these and took into consideration what people had said. When I was coming up with a storyline, actors, setting, script and all other necessary features towards my 2 minute film, I used this as a guideline to help me create a film in which people would find interesting and thrilling.
