*Final* Opening Sequence

Social Media Feedback

Costumes

For our costume feed back, people said that the costumes were representative of the characters background, as well as describing the characters. However, some people said that it was difficult to tell who was who.

Locations

For location, people said that the majority of the locations made sense, but the kidnapping through the window didn't make sense.

Rough Cut Feedback

Questions:

1) What is actually going on?

2) Why is Ruby looking at a wall?
3) Why is there shaking at the end?
4) What sound is going to be used in the opening sequence?

Positive points:
1) I like the shots at the beginning.
2) The beginning of the opening sequence is clear and has a understandable story line.
3) The lighting used fits well with the characters presented.

Location

For our location, we used a house. By using a house as our location, we were able to manipulate things, such as light and shadows, to create an effective sense of confusion, making the audience understand how the main character feels.

Initially, we were going to film some scenes outside in a woodland area, such as when the boy was kidnapped, but we made changes to this, meaning that the kidnapping was witnessed from the inside.

Vlog Pitch Feedback

1) The questions asked got responses that could help with your opening sequence.
2) The plot is obvious, but how are you going to show the ghost?
3) The locations are suitable for the sub-genre.
4) Maybe you could use a screaming sound effect?
5) Sound used in the pitch was suitable for the ideas being presented.

From the feedback from our vlog pitch (from social media) we could improve our ideas and include more suitable ideas that would positively impact our opening sequence.

Five Key Questions

1) Did the storyline make sense?
2) Did the opening sequence fulfil your expectations of what a psycho thriller should be like?
3) How could the narrative be improve?
4) What about the characters made them suitable for the sub-genre?
5) If this opening sequence was to be made into a whole film would you watch it?

Costumes

In our opening sequence, we decided to use costumes that represented the characters working class back ground, dressing in causal clothing. The main character wears everyday causal clothing, to give the impression that she has mental stability, which contradicts with the effects that we used over. Also, the children that we used to play the daughter of the main character and the main character as a child are wearing the stereotypical child's clothing.

We have made few changes to our characters costumes, simply because we wanted to display our characters as working class.

Rough cut #1

Filming set-up

Timeline for Opening

This is the timeline of our opening sequence, 'Vengeance for Him'. It consists of the order of what order the titles come in, showing the order of importance in creating the product.

Final Draft

Self-assessment feedback sheet

These photos are the self assessment sheets of what we thought of our opening sequence and how we can improve it.

Audience feedback questions

Who is the boy?
The boy is the best friend of Naomi in 1990 as a eight year old girl.


Why is the older girl reacting the way she does?
She is mentally disturbed through what she has been through in her past.


Why is the girl playing with her?
The younger girl in the present day is playing with the ghost of the boy who was kidnapped in 1990.


What was happening with the man and the boy?
The man has kidnapped and killed the boy, known by the audience by the grave that is shown in the opening sequence.


Why does the sister take a tablet?
The person taking the tablet was the grown up girl featured in 1990. She has become a mother herself and is mentally unstable due to what happened in her past.

Why is she coming back to haunt her?
The boy who was kidnapped and killed has come back to haunt Naomi as an adult because she did nothing when he was kidnapped, even when he was begging for help.

Who is the older woman?
The older woman is the mother of the boy who was kidnapped, who is trying to get answers from eight year old Naomi, who hasn't told anyone what happened to the boy.

Who is the child actually talking to?
The child in the present day is talking to the ghost of the boy who was kidnapped, and the boy has come back to haunt Naomi to create a psychological effect. The boy is essentially back from the dead to haunt the adult Naomi for not telling anyone what happened to him in 1990, or telling anyone what actually happened to him.


Is the little girl your daughter?
The girl who is seen in the 1990s by the audience is Naomi as an eight year old girl. the girl in the present day is the daughter of Naomi, who is the same age as Naomi was when the boy went missing.


Who is the woman at the table?
The woman at the table is the mother of the boy who was kidnapped, who is trying to get answers from eight year old Naomi.

Why is there a forgiving needed?
There is no forgiving taking place in the opening sequence. The boy is kidnapped and says that he will 'never forgive you'.


Why are the other actors present?
Other actors are present to take place in the filming.


Why is the boy carried away in the beginning?
He has been kidnapped.


Are the people being taken the family of the woman and the girl?
The person who is taken is the son of the woman who is featured at the table. The girl is the best friend of the boy. In the scene with the mother and the girl, the mother is trying to get answers about her missing son.


Who is the main character?
The main character is Naomi, as she features as an eight year old girl, as well as the adult. She is also the main character because of what happened to her in her past, with the kidnapping creating an unstable mental future.


Who is the man who took the main character?
The man is a kidnapper who took the boy from the home.

The audience had questions because some parts of our opening didn't seem to present all ideas clearly. These questions will help us learn how to improve our opening sequence and make sure the viewers completely understand what is going on. Generally the audience shouldn't have had these questions, but them having these questions meant that we can now improve our opening. To ensure that the audience have no questions we can change certain things that are in our opening sequence.

Locations and music/soundeffects feedback

1) Locations fit the sub-genre well.
2) Locations can be effective if used correctly.
3) How are you going to make a house link to the Thriller sub-genre?
4) What type of lighting are you going to use in each location?
5) Locations fit narrative and work well with stereotypical locations that you find your characters in.

Sound-
1) Music works well within narrative, but could you foreshadow what is going to happen by using varied music types.
2) Soundeffects are typical of sub-genre.
3) You could use a scream sound effect to make the fear more genuine.
4) Music and soundeffects work together.

Editing types

In our opening sequence, we used a variety of editing techniques to create a sense of psychological fear and the sense of fear towards the unknown in the opening sequence as we applied the enigma code.

The first editing technique that was used was layering, to help describe the main characters mental state, as well as causing a state of pity towards the character, as well as a sense of confusion and understanding of the character.

We also decided to use colour correction in our opening sequence to represent the difference between the present day and the past of the main character, to make it clearer to the audience.

(example of colour correction)

Another example was flashing to also represent the characters mental state.

Audience Feedback

These are the audience feedback comments that we made about other groups opening sequences. We will use these ideas from other groups to improve our opening sequence.

Props list

Phone and earphones: We use these in the 14th shot to portray Ruby disassociating herself with reality. This also gives an insight into the characters deeper emotional state and feelings.

Pills: We chose to use pills to show Ruby's instability and paranoia. This will also give an idea towards her regret towards how she reacted in the past. Hinting at the idea of a psycho thriller.

Twig: We use the twig as an object to create tension in the opening sequence as the snapping of the twig signifies the introduction of the major antagonist.

Toy car: The car is used as an interactional object between Chloe and Fred. In post production we will manipulate the way the car is filmed to introduce the idea of a ghostly character that can be heard, but not seen.

Grave: We are using the grave to portray to the audience the regret that Ruby feels towards the death of Fred. This will help us hint at the sub-genre we are trying to portray as it will present the deep feelings of Ruby.

We have used all the props that our listed to create our opening sequence. The props that we have used create a sense of disturbance, which is what we were aiming to represent, showing the lack of mental stability the main character has.

Sound Effects in Thrillers

Analysis of Editing Techniques

Green Screen

Slowed speed and increased speed

Colour isolation

Cropping

Desaturation

Reverse clips

Four way split

For our sub-genre, desaturation, colour isolation and green screen could work as the most effective psycho-trhiller effects. These would make good effects for our opening sequence as they can be manipulated to fit a scene, especially in the haunting scenes. Also with the green screen we can manipulate the screen to give the appearance that the child is there. Four way split can be used to demonstrate the characters feelings and emotions to build on the audiences emotions. Cropping allows us to crop out any mistakes and add things that aren't available to use in our location. Reversed clips can be used to add interest and depth to the scene; it allows us to make characters appear to do things that break the laws of physics. 

Reversed and increased speed would fulfil the audiences expectations as it allows us to be able to manipulate and work with the camera and scenes. 

Social media post