HELP!

Looking at the rough cut i do not think that it works, the voice-over conversation does not fit the split screen visuals. We have a couple of ideas for ways to make the opening work but time is short.

One idea you to fill the 40 seconds of black screen with shots of the surroundings and have voice over. thinking about it now we need a soundtrack, the opening is empty without one, a subtle soundtrack under our existing voice-overs.

another idea you to scrap the conversation voice-over completely and go with a strong soundtrack

these two ideas can be put together but TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

Rough Cut

This is our rough cut for our opening.

I have picked this font because it is messy and handwritten, portraying his state of mind and feelings. Also male handwriting is generally rougher then females which we wanted.

Thriller [ˈθrɪlə]

n
1. (Performing Arts / Theatre) a book, film, play, etc., depicting crime, mystery, or espionage in an atmosphere of excitement and suspense
2. a person or thing that thrills

Image of our first draft of our script.

First draft of our script

The Story

John is a manic depressive, he is on his own with no family but is a very successful business man. Seeking help from a support/help line John finds himself phoning everyday and weirdly connecting to the same Call Lady (Gemma) on every occasion.
Each phone call brings them closer and closer together, so close that John's emotions and depression starts to have effects on Gemma's everyday life.
John gets emotionally attached to Gemma and when she decides that the phone relationship has got to far she plans to leave the helpline and find a new job.
John instantly hits rock bottom when realizing that Gemma has gone. He begins to think that their relationship needs to become more physical and sets about finding her...

Test Shots

This shows setting and background
















This shot is one that we will use in the opening
















Close up of phone IMPORTANT


















Other shot similar to the one above
















THE BENCH main location for opening

Storyboard

Outline of Our Final Idea

• Black screen
• Hears ringing of phone line
• Over lapping speaking, phone calls
• Then focuses on one phone call in particular
• Credits appearing randomly, floating in and off the screen,
• Women speaking, hello you've reached Cambridge confidential help line' something along those lines.
• Voice over of a women and a help line call centre talking to a man/boy
• 'Didn't you call yesterday...' making it apparent to the audience that they have developed a relationships, spoken before etc...
• Then focuses on the girl/women at the call centre. her lips, speaking, her pens, birthdays cards on her desk to show how ordinary her life is.
• Close ups, extreme close up
• Then a quick cut shot to the lips of the man on the other end of the phone call.
• Man in a park, hears birds.
• Split screen maybe
• Extreme close up on him rolling his fingers/ tapping them..
• Flicks back to her, tapping a open on the table, twirling her hair ....
• Average, normal conversation...
• Ends with him standing up, never see his face fully. His silhouet walking into the distance ...
• Maybe some simple music, no words within it.

Production Logo

This is our idea for a production logo and will be used in our opening sequence, this maybe animated in the later!

U2-69 Footsteps Review

Footsteps is another film done by students at Long Road. The opening Dark Room shot is every similar to a lot of Opening sequences done at Long Road, it is effective but now over used and i think that they is many more creative shots that they could of incorporated into their sequence to make it more interesting. The panning is steady and effective. Concealing the persons faces is a nice way of covering up there identity and makes you think who are they. Using dark and dim lighting gives the whole piece a dark feeling and sets the tone nicely. The slow editing along side the mysterious narrative and 'spooky music' all links nicely and suggests that this opening sequence is a thriller.. possibly horror.

Production Logos

Bad Robot compared to other companies are of a less successful production team although they have helped to produce well known TV series such as Lost or in the blockbuster Star Trek. A memorable part of the logo is not the graphics of it but the voice over after it has appeared. Even though the voice is one of a child the films Bad Robot help to produce are aimed at an audience of a more mature age.
Interestingly after we had created our own logo we came across this one which is quite similar since its done in a vector style.













The Pixar logo represents there company by incorporating there animations into the title. When ever someone see's the animated lamp jumping across the screen everyone instantly know that it is Pixar! The lamp is not directly related to animation but maybe the Lamp is a prompt for the viewer the 'look at the piece in a different light'.

Alfred Hitchcock "Why Thillers Thrive". 1936

"The audience thrives ion thriller, the cinema thrives on the audience, the director thrives on the cinema, and everybody is happy" - Alfred Hitchcock

The article summerises what Alfred himself thinks what a thriller is and what it does to the audience. The essay gives examples of the feelings and positives in watching a thriller film ' we are safe a secure sitting in an armchair and looking and the struggle and turmoil of life through a window, as it were. Also he goes on to explain how watching thrillers are beneficial to their health 'blood pounding through the vains are highly beneficial for indigestion, gout....' This is an exampel of hitchcocks dry homour but it is known that to cry , feel terror and to laugh is actually healthy. 'and that is why the authentic 'thriller' will live and thrive and the 'horror' film with die.'

S1-22 The Yearbook Review

We picked this thriller opening as it has elements of both thriller and horror. We also liked the effects they used within the sequences. It gave us some good ideas that we may incorporated into our own opening sequence. We felt that this was a good attempt if an opening to a thriller.