Storyboarding Process

The next thing to do, in the pre-production process of creating an opening sequence of a Thriller, was to start producing storyboards. A storyboard is a detailed breakdown of the specific technicalities that a production crew must follow whilst shooting. It also provides a clear guide for the editor to construct the sequence as the creator intended it to look and sound. The storyboard therefore details camera, sound, lighting and mise en scene details as well as dictating timing, pace and editing style.

Initially our group finalized the specific shots in sequence order by carefully visualizing the sequence and researching existing movies that used a similar filmic style.

Account of first production group meeting

During our first group meeting, we discussed our idea for our title sequence, we talked about the finalized storyline, and how we would film it and how practical it would be. Or most of our lesson together, we looked at videos on You Tube of Films that have done a similar sort of idea, i.e. the columbine or school shootings. And we looked at some actual footage of the shootings. We watched the end sequence of a film called Elephant. It is a revolutionary look at school shootings which focuses on the individual stories of a few students. The way its done highlight's the casual feel of the columbine shootings, it makes the audience see the coldness of the shooters and the mindlessness and pointlessness of the shootings. This film really helped us understand the shootings and gave us insight into what we want our audience to feel and how we would consider filming it. We considered just fitting cctv cameras in the canteen and getting two students to walk in there with shotguns in full military gear and firing some blank shots, just so we could get a genuine reaction from the students. Because as its quite a large scale shoot it will be difficult to make it look authentic and get the actors to take it seriously.

Intro to using Final cut pro editing package

Final cut server (pro)

During the lesson we were shown how to use Final Cut Server in order to edit footage.
- software package
- Run on G5 macs
- Non linear editing package
- Timeline based

Final cut server is a system that allows your projet to be checked "out" and "in" to a separate server. Its a safe and reliable way of not loosing work. After having shot our preliminary task footage we digitized the rushes onto the hard drive/ server (final cut server) ready for reveiwing and logging. Logged rushes (filmed material) - we selected the best shots and they were taken into a "logged bin". Shots were placed chronologically on a timeline then trimmed and cut to create the illusion of a simultaneous event. Sound was added and special effects created.

"What is a thriller?"

In the lesson we were introduced to the concept of the "Thriller" genre.
The Thriller genre is difficult to define because so many of the emotions and reactions that come from Thrillers are part of the whole experience of film. It is a meta-genre. The thriller relies on Intricacy of plot to create fear, apprehension and suspense in the hearts and minds of the audience. It plays our most basic worries by drawing on the most infantile and therefore repressed thoughts. These thoughts can be voyeuristic, sexual or violence.

The thriller achieves this by raising questions or enigma codes in the mind of the audience. Most thrillers have universal themes at their core- the struggles over love, death or money. It is this struggle that often enthralls the spectator. It is also done through a sense of delay. When something does happen, there is a sense of relief from that tension. In many ways the thriller genre is sadomasochistic- the audience enjoys watching the director cause pain and suffering to the characters. Our Pleasure is derived from their Discomfort. The audience also experiences a sense of ambivalence. They feel a sense of identification and sympathy with the hero's (or victims) vunerability.