Project Reflection

Call Sheets

Chris Stratford

Hilda Woodward

Allison Stratford

Vicky Peacock

Millie Harris

Model Release Forms

Chris Stratford (He has also had an under 16 form completed)

Allison Stratford

Hilda Woodward

Vicky Peacock

Millie Harris

Location Recce & Hazard and Risk assessment

The purpose of these visits is to decide upon the suitability of the location for shooting. I have commented upon the access to necessary facilities, assessment of potential lighting and or any potential issues with sound.


The Locations (Video Production):

Recce of Bungalow and Garden

Location: My Grans Bungalow, Durham

Is it suitable – how? Why?: This location is perfect for my film, it is typical of the drama genre for the disequilibrium parts of the film. This location is very accessible as it is my grans who is starring in the trailer. It will give a rough raw edge to the trailer and connote how Tom and Hilda live in the first part of the trailer; The location can also suggest personality traits of Hilda and this can create a more personal link between the viewer and characters. I will be shooting during the day to create a clear image.

Additional  Comments / Observations: I will have to check the weather forecast previous to when I'm going to arrange the garden shoot.

Risk Assessment of Bungalow and Garden

 



Recce of Surrounding Derelict Areas







Location: Esh Winning, Durham

Is it suitable – how? Why?: Furthermore these locations are great for my trailer, as they push forward the rough surroundings Tom is faced with everyday. It will give a rough grungy raw edge to the trailer in the disequilbrium. The location can also suggest personality traits of Hilda as it is where she lives. I will be shooting during the day to create a clear image.

Additional  Comments / Observations: I will have to check the weather forecast previous to when I'm going to arrange a shoot as to avoid strong rain or wind.

Risk Assessment of Surrounding Derelict Areas

 









Reece of 'Auntie & Cousins' House

Location: Middleton St George, Darlington

Is it suitable – how? Why?: It is very suitable as this is my house so is very accessible. The house is a great location for when Tom thinks his life is picking up, as to the eye the property is spacious, clean and in a pleasant area.

Additional  Comments / Observations:N/A

Risk Assesement of Auntie & Cousins House

Recce of Countryside, fields, paths etc

Location: Middleton St George, Darlington

Is it suitable – how? Why?: This location is very suitable, as at the beginning of the trailer Tom is seen in the garden so we can tell immediately that he loves the outdoors. This location is featured later in the trailer when Tom is staying with his Auntie and Cousin so the open fields gives a sense of that Tom is free to enjoy himself now and have fun.

Additional  Comments / Observations: I will have to check the weather forecast previous to when I'm going to arrange a shoot as to avoid strong rain or wind.

Risk Assessment of Countryside, fields, paths etc

The Locations (Print Production):

Recce of The Studio:

Location: Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington

Is it suitable – how? Why?: It is suitable because it has great photography equipment and is very accessible because the Studio is located at the College.

It allows me to use high key lighting in order to light up my models face which is a convention of drama film posters and especially magazines. Using the studio will also help me to create a more professional image. 

Additional Comments / Observations: I’ll have to arrange when my models/actors are available to shoot, and I'll also have to book the studio.


Risk Assessment of The Studio 

Photoshoot Plans (for print work)

There are great benefits of using the studio. It allows me to use high key lighting in order to light up my models face which is a main convention of drama genre film posters. Using the studio will also help me to create a more professional image and product. 

Tutorials on how to create a bruise with makeup

I need to be able to create a heavy bruise using make-up for a scene in my trailer when Tulip begins to use drugs. To learn how to achieve this I have looked at the following YouTube tutorials:

These tutorials are useful as they are fairly similar and give step by step instructions. It is achievable for me to create this effect as I can easily obtain most of the make-up/facepaint they have used and recreate the bruised effect. 

After having a look around some craft and costume shops, I bought a make-up pack that contains the colours, brushes and sponges that I need to create my desired bruised effect.

Looking at previous students trailers

I have watched some prevous students work/trailers to learn from them: Whilst watching I wrote myself a list of easy mistakes to avoid.

Animatic

This animatic is my first intital idea for a soundtrack, and it is a song by my friends band 'Lets Buy Happiness' called 'Six Wolves'. It suits the genre conventions and my trailer plotline, and it also relates back to my sound research.

I am also going to have a play on Garage Band to see if I can add some extra sound effects.

Sound Ideas

I want to use a variation of different sounds in my trailer; dialogue, voiceover, soundtrack and sound effects, such as ambient noises (birds tweeting, light wind etc).


These music videos below feature soundtracks that would fit the genre of my trailer and have featured in professional texts. They are also very similar to sounds I encountered in trailers in my research:

Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition

Temper Trap - Love Lost

Doves - There Goes The Fear

The Goo Goo Dolls - Iris

Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall

Coldplay - The Scientist

Coldplay - Fix You

Moby - Porcelain

The Script - Break Even

The Smiths - Asleep

Noah And The Whale - The First Days Of Spring

Noah And The Whale - Blue Skies

Bombay Bicycle Club - Ivy & Gold

 

These above songs all have different moods attached to them, which is exactly what I need to feature in my trailer as dramas showcase a whole spiral of emotions. My music choices need to match the moods on screen. 
I particularly like Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap and Doves - There Goes The Fear for when Tom and Tulip are having fun in the countryside, and The First Days Of Spring by Noah & The Whale for the opening of the trailer, and Coldplay - Fix You and Breakeven - The Script for the low points in the trailer. Like I stated in my storyboard I am going to have a mixture of different tracks in the trailer, each to suit the current mood on screen, this will hopefully encourage the viewer to feel a certain way each time.

To semi/replicate these songs I could use software such as Garage Band. I was also thinking of contacting local and independent bands (one of which I know personally) of the same calibre, such as Collectors Club, Dog Is Dead and Let's Buy Happiness and asking them if I could use some of their music in my trailer. 
Collectors Club - http://www.myspace.com/collectorsclub

Dog Is Dead - http://www.myspace.com/dogisdeadband

Lets Buy Happiness - http://www.myspace.com/letsbuyhappinessuk - I really like their song Six Wolves, and Fast Fast. I think either of these tracks could fit into the trailer nicely.

I can get some of my sound effects from free websites, such as Mediacollege.com, partnersinrhyme.com, and stonewashed.net.
From Media College I can get diegetic ambient sounds of the Wind - there are 5 different wind sound effects to choose from. There is also a sounds clip of a stream, birds etc, which is quite effective. I will also need a sound effect of a tap running for when Tom is washing up in his Grans house, this site offers 5 different sounds for this, so it's very useful.
From Partners In Rhyme I can get some door sounds, for example the sound of a door opening and closing or a door latch which is useful for when Tom arrives at his Aunties house. This website also has some wind sound effects.
From Stonewashed I can get a range of sound effects to feature in my trailer from door openings, car sounds and a doorbell for when Tom arrives at his Aunties house.
The sounds I can gain from these different websites are very useful to me as they fit the genre and are very similar to sounds I found in my researched trailers.

I also want a voice over to feature in my trailer. In most trailers of my genre they either use the main character to introduce themselves, like in Submarine or have another individual using male to speak. In my trailer I am going to use my Dad, Mark, who isn't featuring in the trailer as a character so this will be ideal. He also has quite a deep but soft calm voice so would be perfect for the role. I am going to carry out some test recordings of the voice over dialogue soon so I can discover any potential problems or weaknesses before it is too late.

Costume and Props

I created a moodboard earlier on in my research, this contained ideas for costume and props alongside character types and locations that I gathered from watching trailers/films from the drama genre.


I experimented with my main actors on a variety of chosen outfits that I have seen in films of the genre. I have sourced all of the following looks from my own wardrobe and my models wardrobes.

Tulip:

This jumper is a very individual piece and is very in-trend. It represents the alternative style. 

The above accessories are statement pieces and are exceptionally unique this showcases Tulips quirky and kooky personality. 

The above chiffon brown dress and tartan cape are unusual items to match the characters personality. This combination also showcases timeless style so adds a really cool feel to the trailer; just like in This Is England. 

I sourced this individual skirt from my friends wardrobe as in my moodboard research there is a photo of a girl, who looks like Tulip wearing a long floating skirt. The above outfit is very unique and is something that the mainstream wouldn't wear. It shows that being different is in Tulips nature.

This outfit is very typical of my genre and is one of the more casual options I have chosen for this character. The butterfly on the t-shirt connotes to the countryside and wildlife which is where Tulip grows up so this item of costume links to her life in some way.

In conclusion these outfits connote individuality, thinking for yourself, not following the crowd - which is exactly the character of Tulip. Most of these outfits were influenced by my moodboard. To add, similar costume will be used for character Sally, and she will also wear the flower headbands below.

Allison:

I have chosen the above outfits for the character of Allison because they are modest, even though she has alcoholism she is a respectful mother and comes from a middle class background. The outfits are dull colours to express her state of mind.

Tom:

I have chosen the above items of costume for Tom for the first part of the trailer when he is in his Grans care. These pieces are dull in colour, a bit run down 'worn' and ill-fitting. They showcase his chore orientated life. In my moodboard the mens clothing was dull in colour so I took initial ideas from there.

The outfit above is a stark contrast between the first few. The knitted jumper and chord trousers are in-season and they look clean and new. This is also the outfit (bar the coat) that will be featured on the poster and magazine front cover - This costume will engage the readers and encourage them to purchase and read the magazine as it connotes individuality, and this is what the readers see themselves to be.

The above t-shirts are also a stark contrast between the dull shirts which 'Tom' will wear at the beginning of the trailer. These t-shirts are well fitted and appear new and clean - there needs to be this new idea that Tom is suddenly being looked after and these 'clean' and fresh pieces of costume showcase this.

The winter coat above is going to be featured on the film poster and film magazine cover alongside the chord cut off trousers and knitted cricket jumper. Coats are very typical of my genre; In my research, especially in film Submarine the main characters are mostly always wearing a coat, it relates to my trailer/film as Tom is a very outdoors person so a coat is very apt.

This outfit is another to showcase that Tom is now being looked after in this sense and now has appropriate in-trend clothes that fit him.

I tried the above two coats on my actors to see if they looked/suited him any better than the plain black one (above). Even though the one I have mentioned above is going to be used in the poster and magazine cover these may be used in other shots throughout the trailer.

As a conclusion there has to be a difference between Tom's outfits as he moves from his trapped life at his Grans to a better one, or so it seems at his Aunties. The new outfits look generally better than the others and make Tom look more well looked after.

Hilda:



This night gown is a vital piece of costume as it connotes Hilda's laziness heightening the facet that Tom does all the work.

The following costumes for Hilda are very appropriate as the items are 'lounge' clothes, such as the fleece, slipper boots, cardigan etc, so connote her laziness. They also work in parallel with her surroundings (the locations) to showcase that she lives a fairly poor life.