WS - Update on Filming - 'Oblivious'

Although last week I blogged that we had finished filming, I did state that this was assuming we had every shot and all the shots were done correctly and to a decent standard. Unfortunately, we feel this is not the case. While we are happy with the majority of shots that we filmed, we aren't happy with three or four shots, so we will be setting a new date for filming again. The main shots in question are the opening shot, when we are outside the house and getting the establishing shot, and the stabbing of the girl at the end. We feel both shots could be much better than they are, and we want them to reach our high standards. We may also decide to re-shoot others before we go back out to film, although we are undecided on these as of now. 


As well as re-shooting some shots, we also need to film our Company Idents which we have now decided to record on camera before editing. We need to take a shot of an eye blinking and of a sharp knife. In some ways we are quite happy for having to re-shoot as it means we can hopefully improve our footage, show drafting and gives us the oppurtunity to shoot for our Idents.


A date will be posted when we decide to shoot again.

JW - Reasons The Killer Uses A Knife

From Halloween To Scream, the most recognisable slasher killers (Michael Myers off Halloween, Ghostface off Scream and many others), an average kitchen knife is the killers' choice of weapon.

The above picture is very similar to the knife we use in our production, we used it because Halloween and Scream are the two most influential slasher movies to us, and the choice of weapon from our killer needs to adhere to their codes and conventions.

"In John Carpenter’s era-defining slasher movie, the weapon is just your average, run-of-the-mill kitchen knife. Nothing out of the ordinary. But in the hands of a crazed mental patient in a William Shatner mask it becomes oh so much more." - Quote taken from  http://www.scene-stealers.com/top-10s/top-10-instruments-of-death-in-slasher-films/

All - Podcast Number Three

Date: 28/1/11

In this podcast we discussed:

• filming
• editing
• sound
• target audience

JW - Soundtrack - My composition update

I have composed several different pieces of potential soundtrack to our film that will be used as non-diagetic sound. Unfortunately, I have no recording equipment at home that is capable of uploading the pieces to the blog. I will try to get around this problem by either recording the piece at school, then uploading on to a computer there, or recording it at the location where my band practises, we have decent recording equipment there.

Hopefully it should be on the blog soon.

TW - Mise-en-scene and Propps

In our production we only need several props, however they all of extreme importance.

The first, and most important prop is a knife, which is what the killer will use to murder his victim. We had to be careful whilst filming however as this was a real knife and we did not want to harm cast members.

The second prop we need is a mask for the killer, as we intend for his identity to be revealed. We have evidence that this technique will be successful as it has already become a proven method for narrative enigma, in films such as Scream and Halloween.





The third prop we need is alcohol bottles to imply that the couple in our production has been drinking, which is a sin and also points toward sexual activity, which is also regarded as another sin.







The fourth prop we require is a music player as a key scene in our film is when music is mysteriously playing from the music player, this is a scene that is paying homage to The Strangers, although in our production, the music is only mysteriously playing, not caught in a loop to show how the scene is frantic, like in The Strangers. 

Lighting is another aspect of mise-en scene in our film, as we require some lighting, although there are scenes when there is intentionally no light. In on scene we even differ from light, to no light, to act as a scare to the girl, named Amelia in our production.


Finally, we will be using typical clothing, with the female wearing some slightly 'smutty' clothing to represent the sin of sexual activity to incorporate verisimilitude, with even the killer wearing only a mask outside of typical teenage clothing,although he will be wearing dark clothing to represent he is evil so people will believe that our plot could actually take place.

All - Our Screenplay

OBLIVIOUS

JW - Soundtrack/Music Update

I have been listening to various famour horror movie soundtracks from films such as The Exorcist, Halloween, The Ring, The Hills Have Eyes and The Shining.

All five of these movie soundtracks start off rather slowly, they then build up to quite a dramatic finish. The use of string instruments (such as violins and cellos) along with single eery piano notes. The majority of the soundtracks last to exceed the three minute mark, since the 'tense' and 'scary' music for our production will only be taking place during the company idents and at little stages throughout the film when the music from the stereo isn't playing, I will have to little time to create a dramatic 'build up'.
However I will be using the combination of string instruments and piano notes to create the soundtrack.

This is an example of The Exorcist soundtrack: