Research & Planning

I was really happy to receive the brief for this portfolio. I have ben making films for some time and  it is very much the area I want to work in when I graduate from University. I have a strong idea of the themes I wish to explore in my film which mostly centre around the experience of teenage girls who feel disaffected, alienated and lost. My films style is quite abstract which situates it in the arthouse genre. The films that have had most influence on me are those that tend to be submitted to festivals. I have always understood the importance of mise-en-scene in creating a mood and tone for a film and as a result I am always looking for potential locations. My family has an old beach house on the isle of Sheppey. this environment is quite run down and wild and seems a perfect location in which to place my 'lost' characters. I have mostly used iMovie to edit on but for this project i will be using premiere pro. I tend to use a canon 5d to film on which i will do again but additionally the college has long lenses which i will also use. 

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Wide Eyed- short film 

Initial Idea 

Begins in the action, two girls are staying in their beach house on the Isle of Sheppey to get away from the outside world and to and experiment with drugs. The girls explore their surroundings, running on the beach and a field in a montage. Their relationship could be described as girly, care free and wholesome.  When the girls go to bed, Lili over doses in her sleep, dreaming of her death and dying in real life. Maria wakes up next to Lili's corpse and has to deal with the consequences.

 

My plan is to confront issues such as drug abuse and mental health. I plan to portray drug use as something that can go from an amazing experience to a very serious and life threatening situation. The relationship the two characters have with each other will play a very important role in creating realism. I plan to create realism, by positioning two teenage girls somewhere isolated and disconnected. This could be relatable to my target audience (ages 16-20) as many teens would find somewhere far away from home or somewhere secretive if they were to  experiment with drugs. 

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Synopsis 

In 1970 two best friends, Lili and Maria escape for the weekend to experiment with drugs and get away from reality, they spend their day exploring the countryside high on Shrooms and coke. When they go to bed Lili overdoses in her sleep and hallucinates a dark figure which guides her to the ocean where she 'drowns' and dies in real life. Maria wakes up the next morning next to Lili's dead body and has to deal with the consequences. 

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Target Audience 

 

My target audience would fall under 'Horror' and 'Art house' audiences. The usual age for the target audience of a horror film is 15- 25, the most common reason for this is that young adults and teenagers enjoy thrills. The usual age for the target audience of a Art House film ranges from students who are studying film and are drawn towards more complex concepts, to adults who admire mature themes and abstract approaches to films. 

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Demographics in my production plan

As far as demographics are concerned I am interested in 'talking' to young people within my age range. Below I outline the type of audience i wish to aim my product at:

 

Age: 16-20

​I aimed my target audience around the 16-20 year old age group. I did this as the girls in my film are teenagers and at their age would be vulnerable and intrigued by drug taking. I did this in order to make the girls in my film more relatable to my target audience. 

 

Gender: Female 

My target audience would be aimed at women and young women as the main characters in my film are female. I aim to make their relationship as real and as authentic as possible. I hope to add relatability through their relationship so that the audience will be more considerable to their situation and hopefully put themselves in the character's shoes. 

 

Country of origin: British/ European

Culturally i could be accused of making a film that is dealing with 'first world' problems and that may well be true. My film will only work with people of a shared cultural experience and so I would summise that the audience for my film would be  British/European. I do not plan for much dialogue so this should allow my film to find an audience in these different territories. 

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Genre: 

When pursuing research I discovered that the Drama genre is the 3rd most popular in British film culture. 

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It is also the main genre for film festival audiences

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FILM LITERATE AUDIENCES

given that i am making a film that would ultimately be aimed at the festival circuit it means that my audience will be film literate, will not expect something generic but will expect something that is visceral, original and literate

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Psychographics in my production plan

If demographics tell you who is buying your products, psychographics tell you why. This tells you that this type of data is more concerned with deeper insight into people’s attitudes, intentions and behaviours than in the surface-level insights of demographics.

Psychographic data looks at these kinds of categories:

 

In terms of psychographics I feel my film will be aimed at, as well as people who's interests are in arthouse films also those people who are independent liberal, reformers. 

• Hobbies and interests: Art House/ Drama/ Horror film enthusiasts

• Religious and political beliefs: Liberal/ Christian 

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Uses and Gratification Theory

Definition: 

• Uses and Gratifications Theory is a popular approach to understanding mass communication.

• The theory places more focus on the consumer, or audience, instead of the actual message.

• “what people do with media” rather than “what media does to people” (Katz, 1959) .

• It assumes that members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives.

• The theory also holds that audiences are responsible for choosing media to meet their needs.

• The approach suggests that people use the media to fulfil specific gratifications.

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Reasons:

• Entertainment and Diversion 

• Information and Education 

• Social interaction 

• Personal identity 

• Personal Relationships 

• Surveillance  

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What needs for the audience will my film fulfil?

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Personal relationships: ​

I hope that my film offers the audience the idea that they are not alone in how they feel. My film will deal with with mental health issues as well as those mentioned above. I hope the the audience will discover some sense of companionship in watching my film.

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Personal Identity: ​ I feel the target audience could relate with the characters who are of the same age, I think they will be able to read beneath the text to understand that the issues are those that they have. in that sense the choices they may make can be vicariously lived through in my film.

 

Effect On The Audience ​

 

The desired effect to have on my audience is to create a sense of discomfort, however I also want to achieve, visually an aesthetically pleasing piece of work. My aim is to create a very real atmosphere to make it more relatable to my audience. I will achieve this by using natural lighting, two teenage girls that have their own style and uniqueness. I will also consider the weather when filming as I don't want to film on a sunny hot day, I want to give realism in the aspect of British weather and to avoid glamourising the theme of drugs. Without realising it, the audience will be immersed into their world as well as being able to feel a sense of relatability  and connection with their experience (even without the aspect of drugs, a rainy or cloudy day is more realistic considering the location and setting of the film). 

 

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Chosen Genres

 

Drama: In film and television, drama is a genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone.

Horror: Horror film is a genre that aims to create a sense of fear, panic, alarm, and dread for the audience. These films are often unsettling and rely on scaring the audience through a portrayal of their worst fears and nightmares. Horror films usually center on the arrival of an evil force, person, or event.

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Conventions of my chosen Genres

Horror

Narrative 

• In horror, the main focus is on creating a feeling of fear. This can vary from supernatural elements such as ghosts, witches, or vampires, or they can address more realistic psychological fears.

 

Mise-en-scene

• Typical settings such as a cabin or a forest which is a great location for gaining a tense fearsome atmosphere. These locations are usually enclosed or cut off from civilisation and help, as the idea of being alone whilst somebody or something is coming after you is much scarier then there being access to help.

•  An example of what props can usually be found in a possession movie, for example, are crosses and bibles, a machete, a chainsaw, a kitchen knife, etc.  

 

Sound 

• Isolated instruments are often used just before a key event occurs which helps link the idea of vulnerability, to the audience.

• Long suspenseful notes often help contrast with short sharp notes to help shock the audience

• Extreme but intentional changes of pitch tones. For example, low long brass notes which suddenly change to very fast high pitched notes to make the audience feel immediately tense.

• Effects such as Crows, Bats, Owls, Church Bells, Witches Laughing and more.

• Echoed voices, helps heighten the audiences mood, sense, and emotion towards the film which can give quite a ghostly feel.

 

Camera angles, shots and movements 

• Establishing/ wide shots give the impression of helplessness and isolation. 

• Close-ups are used to emphasise with the character, show their reactions and emotions. create suspense as the audience isn't shown the surroundings.

• By using Handheld camera it gives a jerky, ragged effect and adds realism to the shot. 

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Drama 

Narrative 

• Drama film is a genre that relies on the emotional and relational development of realistic characters. While Drama film relies heavily on this kind of development, dramatic themes play a large role in the plot as well. Often, these dramatic themes are taken from intense, real life issues. Whether heroes or heroines are facing a conflict from the outside or a conflict within themselves, Drama film aims to tell an honest story of human struggles.

 

Mise-en-scene

• Close ups of characters

• Low Angle and High angle shots- to portray strength and weakness amongst characters.

• Clear shots and angles show different groups within the cast 

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Camera angles, shots and movements 

• Establishing/ wide shots to show the location of film. 

• Close-ups are used emphasise the expression on a persons face, or a key part of a scene. This is used to show eather than tell the audience what is happening. 

• Extreme close ups can add tension and or intimidation by showing the characters emotions or personality.

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Similar products 

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Script

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shot List

 

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Story Board 

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Cinematic Influences 

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I took direct inspiration from the short films that I studied, for an example I was inspired by the shot of the wasp against the window in the Kitchen scene in the short film ‘Wasp’(2003). When filming my production, I found a mosquito trapped inside one of the rooms and filmed it flying against the window, I positioned this shot as the transition between the sunset and Lili waking up. I did this to symbolise her inner state, trying to get back out of her dream but failing to. After watching Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) I was inspired by the mirror faced figure when creating the character profile for my ‘Dark Figure’ character. About a Girl (2001) is a short film surrounding the life of a 13 year old girl who talks to the camera about her life, dad, mum, friends and aspirations. The location, mood and colour palette used tells the audience just as much about her life as she does to the camera. I took inspiration in creating the same sense of realism in my short film, using derelict locations, cold colours when appropriate and inspired the use of tracking and establishing shots.

 

‘About a Girl’ follows a 13 year old girl walking across a murky canal talking about her life to the camera. Her character conventionally falls under working class and this is shown visually through the use of costume and the way she talks and the vocabulary she uses. Different characters that feature in her stories, such as her mum, her dad and her friends. She presents each of the characters in different ways, giving the audience a chance to asses their opinions on each character. The girl makes small comments about her life that suggest something darker is going on in her life to what she is describing. For an example, when the girl is talking about the relationship she has with her dad, “And then he takes me to the pub after and gets me a coke and a packet of crisps, Bless” as she says this in an affectionate way, the audience assumes that they have a good relationship, however the shot changes to her sitting outside the pub, alone with the sound of football hooligans coming from inside the pub. Suggesting child negligence and a tells the audience that this is probably the highlight of their relationship, “a coke and a packet of crisps”.

 

I found that after watching Wasp I was greatly impacted, the fast paced nature of it and the hard core reality of it all inspired me to create something similar in the sense of natural lighting, troubling locations, etc. In creating meaning, Wasp was direct and informative. The shot of the family walking across a bridge over a highway on their way to the pub puts the audience on the edge of their seats as they watch a toddler walk above a busy highway, the camera is positioned in such a way that it looks like a car could hit her at any moment. This creates meaning in the film as it is a visual representation of her current living state, below the breadline and in a dangerous environment. The narrative in Wasp is conventional in the sense that it follows the day of a single mum, falling under the ‘Slice of life’ genre. However it gives perspective shots of different characters in the film. This is used in the Pub scene, Zoe’s point of view, walking into the Pub, seeing everyone look at her and then seeing David. It then cuts to her daughters signing and playing in the car park. The perspective shots inspired me when filming, I filmed into the reflection of one of the windows of the huts that reflected the dark figure, giving the impression that it was from the figures perspective looking into the hut.

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Characters

Lili

Age: 16-18

Hair Colour: black/ brown

Eye Colour: Brown

Height: Medium/ tall

Makeup: Blue eyeshadow and a natural lip. 

Outfit: A blue denim top and jeans, suede timberlands and a black leather Jacket

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Lili and Maria are best friends, Lili is a confident character with a soft side. She takes a dodgy pill and overdoses in her sleep. She hallucinates a dark figure in her dream which leads her to the ocean where she drowns in her trip and dies in real life. I want to show the darkness in everyone through her hallucination, hinting to the audience that this figure is inside all of us. 

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Maria 

Age: 16-18

Hair Colour: Ginger

Eye Colour: Brown

Height: short

Makeup: natural and light 

Outfit: A flowy off the shoulder top, a suede skirt and suede heels.

 

Maria and Lili are best freinds, Maria is visibly less confident than Lili but enjoys herself during the day equally. Maria wakes up to Lili's dead body, she then has to decided what to do. The mystery I want to leave the audience with is, was she the one that killed Lili? Is she the 'Dark Figure'.

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Dark Figure

The Dark Figure has the head of a deer skull, having the spiritual meaning of the balance between life and death. As well as the spiritual meaning behind a deer's skull it is also a very creepy and unique feature, making it a memorable character for the audience. The rest of the 'Dark Figures' body will be clocked in black, to give a mysterious feel. 

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I will achieve the Deer Skull by spending time in the art department, in attempt to create a deer skull with paper-mache and chicken wire, I will use black cloth to cover the body in order to make it more mysterious and unidentifiable as the 'unknown' is a fear shared with everyone. 

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While Lili sleeps she overdoses on the drugs that she had taken the present day, the dark figure appears in Lili's trip, it guides her to the sea where she drowns in her dream and dies in real life. 

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Costume Inspiration

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Location

I plan to locate my short film on the Isle of Sheppey. A isolated area to put stress on the girl's situation and vulnerability. But at the same time the location is one of a kind, with breath taking sunsets and rises, putting emphasis on Nature vs Death.

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Props List

• Radio

• Fake blood/ bruising makeup

• Alcohol bottle​

• White powder- Ketamine/Cocaine  ​

• Marijuana- papers, grinder, lighter ​(Placebos)

• MD/ xanax Pills ​(Placebos)

• Cross made out of sticks

• Deer skull

• Candles 

• Bedding

Filming Equipment ​

• Cannon 5D Camera

• Gimbal  

• Tripod 

• Stabiliser

• Light reflector 

• 4x Spare batteries 

• 3x memory cards 

• Shoulder Rig

• Microphone 

• Audio recording equipment 

 

Sound Effects 

• Waves crashing

• Seagulls 

• Snorting/ heavy breathing  

• Shells/ Stones/ Grass being walked on 

• Muffled screaming/ waves crashing 

• Wind whistling 

• Bees buzzing 

• Sharp ringing sound 

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Travel Plan & Info

Meet at St Pancras International Station at 9pm on Friday 12th October

I will inform teachers of your absence from college.

We will travel in together (the whole journey is estimated to take 3 hours). We will be filming over Friday and Saturday. 

Please bring £20 for travel costs (if the expenses go over I will pay for your travel) 

(We will get a Taxi from Jenkins Hill to the Hut)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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