5/10/2011 - Consent Forms

We designed two Consent Forms so that each participant understood what was taking place in the film, and just in case the public questioned what we were doing.

5/10/2011 - Filming

Last month we found ourselves filming the final part to our short film, where Lily Rhode's reveals her pregnancy 2 months after the assault.

Our first shot was to feature Charlotte (playing Lily) coming out of the bathroom and in to the bedroom where she shows her stomach in front of the mirror.

After looking at her new image in the reflection, Lily breaks down. At this point where you can see from the video we were able to make an effective shot from using our planned storyboard. We asked Charlotte to fall to the ground holding a pillow; the camera then zoomed in capturing her body language and facial expression. We found this shot quite interesting as we wanted viewers to see the new image of Lily and her reaction; it wasn't as complicated as the previous shot featuring the assault and we were able to get the filming done quite quickly.

We are currently editing our final draft of the short film which should be uploaded to the blog by the end of the week as we approach the end of our production.

3/10/2011 - Callsheet

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30/9/2011 - Shot List

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26/9/2011 - Action Plan

	Main Task (Short film)	Poster	Magazine Review
Research and Planning (Completed)	·         Create, summarise and pitch our idea. ·         Research in to similar films and the techniques used in short films. ·         Research similar audience in relation to our short film. ·         Organisation of actors, equipment use, script, layout. ·         Constantly receive feedback for drafting. ·         Time management.	Researching the poster: ·         Research in to similar products, small low budget film posters. ·         Research and target similar audience. ·         Location for images to be taken. ·         Constantly receive feedback for drafting.	Researching the magazine review: ·         Research in to similar products, reviews online. ·         Research and target similar audience. ·         Constantly receive feedback for drafting.
Construction (Completed)	·         Completed filming however still sound recording that need to be done. ·         Use tripod when available to keep shots steady. ·         Carry out mise-en-scene whist trying to keep continuity. ·         Editing that include transitions, effects, captions and clear sound. ·         Carry out the roles of the production whilst keeping to the planned time management.	Creating the poster: ·         Use of computers and internet technology. ·         Conventions of layout and design.	Creating the magazine review: ·         Use of computers and internet technology.
Action (What Needs to be Done)	Organisation of: o   Shotlist (28/9/11) o    location schedule (28/9/11) o   story boards (5/10/11) ·         Add finishing touches to the production, including; sound recording Chris and Charlotte whilst adding a dip to black transition. (28/9/11) ·         Complete evaluation (10/11)	Creating the poster: ·         Variety of fonts and text size. ·         Accurate use of language aiming at a certain age group. ·         Integration of illustrations. Complete poster and receive feedback. (28/9/11)	Researching the magazine review : ·         Research in to small magazines that review independent films. ·         Target similar audience to your film when creating the magazine. (28/9/11) Creating the magazine review: ·         Conventions of layout and design. ·         Variety of fonts and text size. ·         Accurate use of language, aiming at a certain age group. ·         Integration of illustrations Complete first draft with received feedback. (30/9/11) Complete magazine review and receive feedback. (3/10/11)

*the dates in bold are the deadlines set for each task in action.

click here for closer view
- page 1
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23/9/2011 - Equipment List

Equipment List

For our film, we used the following equipment:

·         SLR Camera with video recording (HD)

·         Tri pod

·         Computer for editing clips

·         Software for editing (Final Cut Pro X)

·         Clothes for each character (Smart-casual for James, casual, short skirt for Lily, black clothing for the attacker)

23/9/2011 - Risk Assessment

click to enlarge image.

4/7/2011 - Sound Track

http://www.evanescence.com/media/audio/Good_Enough.mp3

This is the song we are going to use for our film. however because of copyright regulations we are unable to use this version of the song, therefore Mark will perform it on the piano. We will then record this and import it in our film while editing. This will act as a backing track for our film that will create an effective build up during the first and second scenes creating a tense atmosphere.

22/6/2011 - Character Analysis - James Lane

Chris Saker is playing the character of James Lane, a 25 year old businessman who works mainly nights, and doesn't get home till early in the morning. Originally educated at a boarding school, he has a rich upper class background. He moved to London when he was 19 on his own when offered a job promotion, and met Lily at the restaurant where she works. He asked Lily to move in with him 3 years ago, and proposed to her just a year ago. James is incredibly protective over Lily and is unexperienced when it comes things going wrong as he's had such a luxuirous upbringing. During our short film, we see his inexperience develop from the moment Lily arrives home.

20/6/2011 - Character Analysis - Lily Rhodes

Charlotte Moore is playing the part of Lilith Rhodes, a 24 year old waitress in a London restaurant. Throughout the film she is referred to as both Lily and Lils by her fiancé James Lane - recently her long term boyfriend for 6 years. Now engaged, she leads a normal life working nine to five and earning minimum wage. The party she attends before the film starts is her own 'Hen Party' to celebrate her last few weeks before marriage. Lily is an amazingly strong spirited character and is the most positive of her group of friends, she is rarely upset and never lets things get to her. Unfortunately, her confidence is what gets her into the forthcoming situation, as she chooses to walk home alone and not get a taxi with the rest of her friends. She takes a shortcut through a tunnel near the edge of the woods and this is where everything changes for her. After the assault, her character completely changes. She is quiet, unresponsive and unable to look the love of her life in the eyes. We see this drastic change in Charlotte's performance as Lily.

17/6/2011 - Script

Here is our script for our film, covering all scenes. During Post Production we printed 3 copies including 1 for the director. 

“With Child”

by

Luke Remmington, Chris Saker & Mark Sayer

The Howard School

Media Studies

Candidate Numbers: 8156

8167

8168

CHARACTERS:

CHARLOTTE MOORE AS LILY ROADS

CHRIS SAKER AS JAMES LANE

-   AS THE OFFENDER

6^TH FORM STUDENTS AS THE PARTY GROUP

(The sound of high heels echo from a black screen and a voice is heard from a phone)

LILY

(Laughing) Yeah, yeah it was so fun thank you!

[Voices from phone heard again]Okay then, see you soon, bye!

(Lily continues to walk down the alley, staggering slightly, as a dark shadow approaches her, and throwing her against the wall)

(Screaming and thrashing about)NO! Get off me! Help!

(Inserts from the previous party are shown as it constantly cuts back to and from the party to the assault)

OFFENDER

(Running finger around Lily’s lips) Shh...

(The offender runs his hands up Lily’s legs as he undoes his belt. A zoom in on Lily’s eyes shows her constantly looking anywhere but in the offender’s eyes and she takes a deep breath in)

SUDDEN CUT TO BLACK

FADE IN FROM BLACK

(Lily staggers to her front door, struggling to fit her key in the lock. Dropping her keys, her fiancé opens the door for her)

JAMES LANE

(Chuckling to himself) Had too much to drink, eh Lils? Who’d you spend the night with?

(Lily, daring not to look at James, just walks past without acknowledging his statement)

(With slight hesitation) Lily? What’s up? Has something happened?

(He goes to grab Lily’s hand but she pulls away quickly)

(Now concerned and sounding stern) Lilith stop this! What the hell has happened? (Shouting) Stop ignoring me Lily! Lily!

(Lily walks into the bathroom shutting the door on James and locking it.)

(Crying slightly) Lily why aren’t you talking to me? Tell me what’s wrong! Come on Lils... Lily?

(Lily sits in the shower with no emotion as water runs down her body. The camera pans away as we still hear the water running)

PAN OUT AND DISSOLVE TO NEXT SCENE

PAN IN FROM PREVIOUS SCENE

[Shot of an empty bedroom]

(Noises are heard of Lily vomiting in the bathroom, and we hear a flush of the toilet.)

[Lily walks into the room]

(Walking past a mirror, she catches her reflection and stands for a few seconds with her hands on her stomach.)

LILY

(Whispering and shaking her head, repeating) No...

(Picks up pillows, bedding etc and throws it at her reflection, shouting)NO!

(She falls on the floor in a hysterical fit and curls up into a ball.)

CAMERA ZOOMS OUT FROM ABOVE AND FADES TO BLACK

END

15/6/11 - Storyboard Plans

Here are the storyboards to our film that Chris drew based on the idea for our short story. We're yet to see whether we will follow this to the exact drawings, or whether we will change and manipulate ideas during the process.
Our production will begin with the main character Lily Rhodes (played by Charlotte) walking alone through a tunnel, of which is where she is attacked. The remainder of the scenes will occur in the house, starting at the front door where Lily makes way into the bathroom, soon going into the bedroom. The storyboards are based on our previous group member Luke's home, whose house we was thinking of using for the production. The storyboards are below:

 

10/5/2011 - Presenting Our Pitch

We have presented our pitch in front of a small audience while being filmed (seen from the video previously posted) and we explained what our filmwas about, the audience we are aiming for, our research films and the general information about the film including the genre, directors etc.

Our pitch lasted for approximately 3 minutes as we took it in turns to explain each part. Chris began by explaining the plot in depth so the audience would clearly understand it. Mark then went over the general information and the research films and covered the scene that would influence our ideas, including shots and camera techniques. Luke finally went over the audience explaining who would most likely watch our film and how we would aim for a young audience when marketing.

The pitch was quite fluent and we did cover most areas of the film we are going to create, giving the audience a full understanding of what to expect. Chris was full of ideas and elaborated on these when we were questioned after the pitch, explaining all the camera shots, angles and ideas we had.

We had a lot of feedback from our pitch showing the good and bad points that we will consider in the future of post production:

• Consider that it is a touchy subject choice to cover (sexually assault)
• Charlotte who is playing Lily Road will have to put on a good performance, make sure she is aware what is happening
• Courageous idea that many think will work well
• Do not video long shots of the woman being sexually assaulted but more short takes giving of the idea that this is happening
• Interact with her life earlier on at the beginning of the movie so we can see the drastic change she under takes 

One of the main ideas that we do seriously need to consider is the concept of the assault. Many of the audience raised the awareness that Charlotte must fully understand what is being done and the area has to be warned that filming is taking place. We explained that people will be standing either end of the tunnel where we will be filming and we will warn the neighbours and pedestrians around. We will get consent of Charlotte if we have any trouble with police.

After saying our thoughts of how to avoid any issues and going over our film plot and ideas, the audience agreed and felt the film is a very good choice.

8/6/2011 - Pitch Presentation

This is our pitch presented to a small audience.

27/5/2011 - Audience

Today, as a group we came up with a few target audiences that we would focus our film around as well as the style of our magazine etc.

We will be focusing young adults between the ages 15-35 as a lot of the characters would be portrayed quite young.
The emotional side of the story with the couple and the feelings from the woman would greatly reach out to a female audience who would get emotionally attached with the film and feel what we are trying to create.
The film will be quite dark and those who enjoy crime, psychological thrillers would be interested in the plot.
Our magazines and marketing would therefore target this audience.

Because there is a rape scene in our short film we have considered making the certificate 18 however it isn't that graphic therefore we will avoid limiting our audience. We believe a 15 age certificate is therefore appropriate.

We decided to have a young audience that would be interested in crime and thrillers however we didn't want to aim our film at an audience under the age of 15 because we feel it may be to dark and aggressive.

25/5/2011 - Pitch

Today our entire group evaluated the ideas we had thought of and decided which path we would go down.
However from constantly discussing our ideas for 30 minutes we came up with an effect film plot.

Rural London outskirts, 2008. Lily Roads, an engaged woman aged 24 with a 2 year old daughter returns from a hen party last night leading a normal joyful life.

Lily is followed and cornered in the shadows of a dark back street. With the man being naturally stronger and confining Lily against the slabs of the alley way, all she can do is desperately gasp for help. Once finished with the assault he flees from the victim leaving vulnerable Lily traumatised as she falls hopelessly to the ground.

This was thought of from expanding on our original idea of the dream, we agreed with the set location of the tunnel and instead of witnessing a murder instead we would include an assault.

Lily returns in her apartment shell shocked as she avoids any communication with her dearly loved partner. She runs a cold shower and collapses fully clothed whilst she cries hysterically. Her partner stands hopelessly outside the bathroom calling from behind the door.

Chris thought of this idea from previously watching James Bond - Casino Royal. He explained the shower scene and felt it was emotional and effective when revealing how distressed the character is.

Later, in a drafty empty room, Lily gradually recovering from the assault that has played on her mind 5 days before restlessly is heard vomiting in the bathroom next door. Crashes and scream are heard whilst pills and other toiletries are thrown across the scene. Lily is seen pregnant as the test is returned positive. Her hand caresses her stomach revealing the bruises of the past.

This will be our short film plot that we will be focusing on during the course. We decided to call it With Child after brainstorming several names and taking a group vote to pick the best.

20/5/2011 - Ideas

We thought of ideas that we would focus our short film or trailer on.

Luke came up with two ideas creating a spider diagram exploring the possibilities that we could focus our film around.

The first idea was about a man who wakes up from a dream that focuses on a murder. He explores the area he saw this murder and finds when he crosses a certain area, time changes from light to dark. We then explored this and found two research films: Inception and The Matrix which both cover dreams and how they are explored.

The second idea Luke thought of, was to create an old 1980s film. The plot would include a police investigation around a murder. We didn't fully explore this idea however instantly Chris thought of a TV series that would highly influence our 1980s film: Ashes to Ashes, if we ever done this idea.