Rather than have dialogue during the chase scenes, we decided to have music. We wanted to use the song ‘Nothing Left to Say Now’ by Imagine Dragons, because it’s so drum-heavy and powerful, whilst also sounding very dramatic, that we thought it would be ideal to reflect a chase scene. Unfortunately, it’s copyrighted so we can’t use the exact version. However, we decided, as the music fit so well, to do a cover of it, so we could still use it. The following musicians were involved:

Base- Tom Coath

Guitar- Tom Coath

Drums- Clare Wright

Piano- Clare Wright

Lead vocals- Emily Durstan

Backing vocals- Meghan Kelly

 

Once we had recordered

The chase- soundtracks

As well as this though, we wanted to use a range of intense, cinematic sound clips for the running scene, as this will create tension and excitement. 

Additional sound effects-

The typewriter effect (ident)- 

https://www.freesound.org/people/Tomlija/sounds/96925/

Dripping sound for the basement scene- 

https://www.freesound.org/people/oldskoola/sounds/271090/

02:28

What costume will we use?
The costume that we will be using for our opening scene will be rather formal as the characters need to portray a sense of importance and mystery that normal, regular clothes would not ne able to achieve. Both the criminal and interrogator will wear full suits and perhaps the interrogator will wear a long trench coat?

Here is an example of the style of clothing we will use:


Each character will have subtle changes to their dress code allowing the audience to base their own opinions regarding that character and essentially add more of an atmosphere to the entire scene. For example, the vigilante will perhaps wear a long coat with smart clothing hidden beneath. This could suggest that the character is seemingly ordinary but the clothes beneath suggest she is somewhat mysterious or suspect in some way. This range of clothing will emphasise cultural identity and hint as to what life might be like in that area.  Furthermore, the clothing is extremely important to our opening scene as it foreshadows what might actually happen later on (this will benefit to the opening as viewers will be encouraged to carry on watching) but also add to the entire mise en scene of the scene.
One disadvantage to using suits, especially for the basement scene is that they will be hard to see in the darkness of the basement. This means we will have to focus more on the characters clothing in the daytime conditions, paying more attention to smaller details. For example, the criminal could have his tie done loose and could have his sleeves rolled up to demonstrate that he is in a rush as opposed to the vigilante who remains very much smart clothed and ready for action.

When filming we must also consider make-up effects such as bruising or blood stains. Although subtle, this could look extremely believable without actually harming our characters! However, this would only be seen in the daylight scenes meaning we need to ensure that we film close ups of the characters face and where the effects have been applied. This is something that I could also replicate within after effects but this would be very time consuming and less realistic.

Finally, we will not use many props for our opening scene as I feel this would distract from the action and the actor's performance. In addition, the film does not need many props to support the narrative or assist with the scene in any way. This would also be an added thing to remember whilst filming, organising cast and directing the scene. Although, we will use a few subtle props such as a mobile phone (close-up) and a few other items that we can easily bring on the bus to and from Norwich. We must also consider all our filming equipment as we do not want to take unnecessary items with us as it will be hard to carry them as we will be filming the entire day. We should also make a list of all equipment that we will bring with us as to ensure that we do not leave anything behind.

06:18

12:51

Before actually filming my opening scene me and my group decided to complete a brief, preliminary video. This helped us with getting a better understanding as to what would actually happen in the sequence before actually filming. We filmed the clip within 1 hour which meant we quickly had to find a cast, set up the camera equipment and film our idea. It was actually a challenging process that involved little planning and more of just getting the footage to edit from. The video doesn't aim to be professional or resemble our idea in great depth but merely for the purpose of getting an idea as to how it will be filmed. In fact, we repeated the scene of the character being hit numerous times to avoid re-filming each hit and potentially wasting time. This will something I will consider when we come to filming our real opening sequence as well as ensuring we film more than we need which will make editing easier.In addition, we had to think about the order of which we filmed, trying to imagine how the sequence will play as a whole.
We also had a few issues regarding the little lighting we had to film and accurately portray the mise en scene within each scene especially the basement clip. This was the hardest film due to the basement floor conditions and uneven surface but I feel this adds to the film somewhat, adding a certain element of reality to the narrative.
Overall, I think the "mock -up" has given us, as a group, an insight into what potential issues we could encounter when filming the actual scene. I also think we have learnt more about things like composition and smaller details such as facial expressions of our characters. However, this is something that should be rectified as we will use actors from the drama department to collaboratively produce the film. We must also consider that the opening sequence will be only 2 minutes which is a challenge in itself.

01:37

We asked a range of different people 3 questions, what kind of film genre do you like?, what is your favourite film? And what do you think of our idea for our opening sequence?. This is what we got.

The answers we got ranged from comedy, horror, music based, but mostly either fantasy or crime/action. This was good feedback considering that we want to create an opening sequence that adheres to a popular genre and so a wider spectrum of people. I also believe that crime and action based films can fit into almost any of those categories making it a clip that most people would enjoy regardless of set film preference. However, when asking what their favourite film was, many people answered with films that were completely different to their previous statement regarding their favourite genre. In fact, the majority talked of action based films suggesting that our chosen genre would fit under most peoples film choice. Whilst some people said "yes" they would like to see it, confirming that it should meet every aspect of an "action" based film and be a little different from the rest. Alternatively, others said that they may not go to a cinema to watch the film. A good response to this would be by the by producers showcasing a test pilot of the film (or a section of it ) to sites such as "vimeo.com" or "Netflix", where film broadcasting is at a peak  at the moment for people to find new content. 

From completing the audience research video I have learnt first hand experience as to what makes a successful film opening. By interviewing people of similar ages to me, I could gage a perspective of what people under that age bracket would be inclined to watch, girl or boy. Ultimately, the vast majority of people said that they would go and see a film like mine at a cinema or at the very least, pay for the right to watch it by means of streaming sites like "Netflix" or buying the dvd. 

What development/changes will you be making to your own idea based on these opinions? 

from the feedback I received, I am keen to include elements whilst filming, that will appeal to a range of people. I would like the primary genre to be influenced by action and crime but it should have a range of shots and effects that would attract people that wouldn't ordinarily choose that style of film. This includes subtleties such as the music, (non) diegetic sounds and the overall filming style. 

11:15

For the casting of our opening sequence we filmed a short video as a way of allowing us to observe who would be best suited to the role of each character in the script. We interviewed a range of people, asking them the following questions: Have you any acting experience?, Why do you think you suit the role? Are you an active person? What is your connection with media as a whole.

Interviewees:

• Laura English
• Charlie Fraser
• Tom Coath
• Meghan kelly 

Laura English:

Who are they
Laura is a Wymondham High Sixth former who has volunteered for the role. She is 16 years old and is interested in both media and drama as a whole. After her audition we felt that she would appropriate for the role of the vigilante due to her enthusiasm to drama and her attitude towards the proposed film.

Why do you believe they would be food for the role?
Laura has taken part in several drama performances beforehand and is keen to develop her skills as an actor by applying it to filming. She said that she was "keen to work in front of the camera's" which told us that she would be suitable.

Charlie Fraser playing role of Interrogator
Who are they
Charlie is an experienced actor and is currently studying drama AS level at Wymondham High Sixth form. Similarly, Charlie has had great involvement with plays and school performances throughout his career making him ideal to fit the role of our interrogator.

Why do you believe they would be food for the role?
After seeing his performance in his audition (the mock video) and his general ability as an actor, I am confident in his portrayal of the interrogator in the opening scene. He also has a good enthusiasm towards the filming and is keen to develop his skills as an actor.

Tom Coath

Who are they
Tom is also drama student studying at Wymondham High Sixth Form.

Why have you chosen your cast and what lead to your decision?
I am pleased with my final cast members as I can rely on them producing quality acting and fit their role with ease. I decided against using an all-adult cast as I though, although more believable, I didn't want to potentially compromise on the quality of the performance. Also, by using make up we can manipulate the character's appearance, making them look older than they actually are. Furthermore, our cast are mainly running.

Meghan kelly:


Who are they
Finally, Meghan is an A-level drama student from Wymondham high Sixth Form. Auditioning for role of interrogator.
Why do you believe they would be food for the role?
Meghan audition was very strong and confident. She was clear about what she wanted but also how she could convey her role of the interrogator in our film. Her attitude was positive which made us more inclined to choose her. As well as being an A level actor, she has been in numerous plays and wants to learn more about acting behind a camera.

Footage here:

06:47